Thin Line: Expect The Unexpected
by Ginger James
Summary: Cory Samms and John Cena meet on her first day in the WWE. They clash immediately but can they learn, over time, that 'opposites' attract?
1. Chapter 1

**So, a few quick notes before you start the story.**

**1. This story was started quite some time ago so if there are references that are a bit outdated, forgive me, but I didn't want to change it just so it would be super current. Hopefully you'll still like it**

**2. A few quick name things: A lot of different sources spell the name Callaway differently when it comes to The Undertaker but I've settled on Callaway because...well, because I like it. Also, as with any other story I write, I have a weird thing for referring to Triple H as Hunter instead of Paul.**

**3. The three original characters thus far are Cory (obviously), Viveca Bonham - another WWE Diva who will show up more in the next chapter, and Portia Kelly**

**There's probably more that I should say but I'm really tired and anxious for everybody to read the story. If you've got any questions, just ask, I don't bite.**

**Last but not least..._Read, Enjoy, & Review!!_**

**Thin Line  
_Expect the Unexpected..._**

**Chapter 1…**

Cory Samms sat nervously in Vince McMahon's office. She straightened her dark green skirt and pulled another Altoid out of her purse, popping it into her mouth. Popping mints was a strange nervous habit she'd developed when she was in high school. It was as if subconsciously she thought super fresh breath could make everything right in the world. At that moment though, if someone told her it was true, she would dump her whole container of altoids right into her mouth and chew like there was no tomorrow. She had exactly 2 minutes and 37 seconds until the most important meeting of her life. It was amazing to think that at only 22 she was already about to have that meeting. Part of her wanted to run into the hall and pull a fire alarm to delay the meeting until she could make sure she was _fully_ prepared but she knew that was a bad idea. And she wasn't sure she _could_ be more prepared. She'd been in the business since she was 17. She'd already worked in ECW during it's last two years. She had experience, she had talent but did she have what Vince McMahon was looking for?

"Ms. Samms?"

Cory nearly jumped out of her seat when she heard the door open.

_Stay calm, stay calm, don't say anything stupid..Don't say anything at all, not until he asks you to_

Vince walked around to stand in front of her and smiled, extending his hand, "Vince McMahon."

"Cory Samms," she smiled, shaking his hand. "It's an honor, really."

_An honor? Way to sound like you're meeting the Queen..._

"Well it's very nice to meet you too," he said, sitting at his desk. "Unfortunately I don't have as much time as I originally planned, so let's get right down to business."

"Okay," she said, trying to ignore the tennis ball size lump in her throat.

"I have heard quite a bit about you," he said.

"Is that good or bad?" she laughed.

"Very good," Vince said. "Obviously, your sister Jessica speaks very highly of you."

Cory smiled sheepishly. Her 26 year old half sister Jessica Farrell had been a WWE Diva for 3 years. She'd come into the company as the Jessica Dudley, the younger sister of The Dudley Boyz.

"I asked her not to make a big deal of this," Cory said. "Jessica and I are very close but I don't want you to think that I'm using her to-"

"I know you're not," Vince smiled. "And I wouldn't say that she made a big deal out of it. Though she did make sure that I knew how talented you are and how hard you work...And she wasn't the only one. I've heard from quite a few people that have worked with you that you're a phenomenal worker, always on time. First in the building last out. Paul Heyman is a _big_ supporter of yours."

Cory wasn't sure if she should smile, nod, or just sit there still as a stone. Apparently her brain was going with still as a stone because she couldn't seem to move anything.

"I've seen a lot of tapes and had some of our officials at your last few shows on the independent circuit and I have to say, I am impressed," Vince informed her.

"You are?" Cory's voice squeaked a little. "I mean, thank you, that's..wow...Thank you."

"I'm prepared to make you an offer today," Vince explained, pulling a manila envelope out of his desk and setting it down in front of her.

Cory felt her eyes go wide and she thought it best not to say anything for fear that her voice would sound like she'd just inhaled a bunch of helium.

"I'm not promising you an immediate spot on television," Vince said. "But I am offering you a developmental contract."

"You are?" Cory stared. She could feel the smile spreading across her face.

"You seem surprised," he laughed.

"I am," she laughed.

"What did you think I asked you here for?"  
"Ya know what...I didn't think about that," Cory said, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world and a little girl who just got a brand new pony all at the same time.  
"Well the offer is here, the contract is here...all you have to do is sign."  
_-----------------------------------_

_2 Months Later…_

_Louisville, Kentucky_

Damien Ford opened the door of his truck for his girlfriend. After she climbed in and fastened her seatbelt he walked around and climbed into the driver's seat.  
"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing that Cory was staring out the window.  
"Yup," she nodded, smiling at him. She had just picked up some papers from the OVW office. Damien ran a hand through his dark hair and took a deep breath. He had waited a long time to say what he had to say to her. He looked over at her, thinking about what a lucky man he was. She was gorgeous. Long tanned legs stretched from a pair of denim shorts and she wore a slightly worn NYU t-shirt. He loved the way her light brown hair blew wildly from the wind gushing in through the open window. He smiled, thinking back to the day he met her. She was shopping on Madison Avenue in New York with her friend Helena and her sister Regina. They were coming out of La Perla but the amount of bags in everyone's hands, especially Cory's, made it clear that they had been shopping for quite some time. All three were pretty but Cory was the one who caught his eye. He was with his good friend Eric and they both thought it would be a good idea to help the ladies get their bags into the car. At first, Cory seemed like exactly the type of girl that Damien was attracted to. She looked like a model and came from a family worth more money than a lot of people would see in a lifetime. She was driving a black Cadillac Escalade and by the time they were done loading the bags the back was completely packed. Regina invited Damien and Eric to join the ladies at Bice, an Italian restaurant. Apparently the general manager was a family friend and they would be able to get a table right away. Once they were at the restaurant, Damien was surprised to find that Cory wasn't exactly what he thought. She was a student at NYU majoring in Sociology with a Minor in Finance and when she wasn't in school she was a professional wrestler. When wrestling came up in the conversation it seemed like her eyes lit up. she showed the most passion she had the entire day. That definitely threw Damien for a loop. But what really drove him to pursue her was the fact that, at the end of the night, when he asked for her phone number, she politely informed him that she wasn't interested. After that he'd pursued her relentlessly, even convincing a friend of his, who also happened to be a TA for one of her professors, to completely embarrass her in front of a class by delivering 2 dozen roses to her while she was in the middle of a presentation. That day, she called him and demanded that he stop. He agreed to stop if she would go to dinner with him. And now, a year and a half later she was an almost perfect trophy girlfriend. Except for the whole wrestling thing. She was currently residing in Louisville, Kentucky instead of New York with him, where she needed to be.

"Cory," he said. He'd prepared this speech before he got to Louisville, he just hoped she would take it well.

"Yeah?" Cory asked, ripping at the envelope. "Damn it!!"  
"What?" he asked, confused.  
"Paper cut," she frowned, looking down at her finger.  
"I think we need to have a little talk."  
"Good talk or bad talk?" she asked, looking over at him, putting the envelope down on her lap.  
"I think it's good," he said, as they stopped at a red light.  
"Alright, I'm listening," she waited. "What do we need to talk about?  
"Well," he sighed.

Before he could finish, her cell phone started to ring loudly in her purse.  
She shot him a quick, apologetic look, "It's Dawn. Can this wait a few minutes?"

Damien nodded, then rolled his eyes when she wasn't looking. Dawn Marie was a close friend of Cory's from her days in ECW. Once again, wrestling came first.

_-----------------------------------_

_That Night..._

"What?!" John yelled as someone knocked on the door of his hotel room. He had just gotten out of the shower after a 3 hour house show in which he'd been involved in two matches and he was a little too tired for visitors. The knocking returned and he got up out of bed and stalked over to the door, briefly considering throwing on a shirt and then deciding against it. He wished he had just stayed in bed when he found himself looking at his ex girlfriend, Portia Kelly. Dating her was definitely one of the worst decisions he'd ever made. When she first started working with the WWE, things were great. They started seeing each other when she'd only been there a week. Then she started to take the 'diva' title a little too literally. He soon found out that her true nature was to be completely self centered and sometimes just mean for no reason. She found out from a mutual friend that he was planning on breaking up with her so she made a big show of dumping him first, in the airport, in front of everyone they work with. He wasn't upset about the breakup but he was annoyed to say the least. And now, even a year later, he tried to avoid her whenever possible. Apparently, she wasn't taking that same approach.  
"Portia what do you want?" he sighed.  
"I want to talk to you," she said, walking past him into the room. "Is that so wrong?"  
"Isn't it bad enough we have to work together?" he asked.  
"John I know you're still bitter over our breakup but you could at least be civil," Portia said, sitting down on his bed.  
"I haven't thrown you out yet," he shrugged. "I'd say that's pretty civil considering how _most_ people react to you."  
"You're so cute when you're brooding," Portia smiled, her black hair glistening under the light next to the bed.  
"This isn't brooding," John said. "This is called being tired and wanting you to leave. There's a big difference."  
"That's not very nice John," Portia scolded. "And to think I came here with good intentions."  
"You came here to be a pain in my ass," he corrected. "You've done a great job, now get out."  
"Do you really want me to leave John?" Portia batted her eyelashes.  
"You want an honest answer?" he sighed, walking over and sitting next to her on the bed. She smiled that smile she always had when she thought she had someone wrapped around her finger.  
"Of course," she grinned.  
"Yes I do," he looked over at her.  
She looked thoroughly annoyed, standing up and turning to face him, "I thought you were finally starting to get over what happened between us."

"Guess not," he shrugged, laying back down. "Get the door on your way out."  
He closed his eyes and could hear her stomp toward the door, yank it open, and then slam it shut behind her.

_-----------------------------------_

Jessica stared at Mark Callaway, willing him to quit. They were each on their 15th shot. She really didnt want any more but wasn't about to let him win. He always won.  
"Ready to quit big man?" she glared.  
"I haven't lost yet..why would I give up now?" Mark asked pouring each of them another shot. "Let's go."  
"Down the hatch," she smiled, downing shot number 16. The tequila burned down her throat and she smiled to keep from making a face, "Damn that's good."  
"You two need help," Viveca Bonham laughed, nursing a glass of champagne.  
"Mark's gonna need help when I'm done with him," Jessica said, downing another shot. "Bring on the next round."  
"Are they still at this?" Dawn Marie asked as she and Hunter walked up to the table after being sent away for more drinks.  
"They wont stop until one of em passes out," Hunter laughed. "That's the rule."  
"When I'm done with this one why don't you see how you hold up champ?" Jessica smirked.  
"I'll just stay sober thanks Jess," Hunter laughed, sitting down next to her.  
"Jessica just give it up," Dawn laughed, standing next to Mark as both contestants downed another shot. "I love ya, but you cant win."  
"Yes I can," she insisted, pouring more tequila. Most of the shot ended up on the table and she had to pour again.  
"Okay but it's not my turn to make sure either of you get to your rooms safe," Dawn laughed.  
"Not my turn either," Viveca piped up.  
"It's my turn for Jessica," Hunter laughed.  
"Who's got the winner?" Dawn laughed as Mark finally pushed himself away from the table, looking groggy.  
"Yes!!" Jessica stood up, downing one last shot. "Alright, who's next?"

_-----------------------------------_

_The Next Morning..._

Cory walked out of the bathroom, toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. She pulled her hair up into a bun as she walked past Damien's sleeping form, stretched across her bed. She almost tripped over his shoes on her way out into the living room. For some reason, no matter how many times she asked, he never left his shoes at the door. Fortunately, she only had to deal with that when he was visiting. That probably wasn't the nicest way to think about her boyfriend. She loved him. At least...she thought she did. But she wasn't exactly sure that he loved her. He loved the idea of her, sure. He seemed to love how much she was worth. He loved that she was a student at a University like NYU. He loved that she was pretty. But in the week that he'd been in Louisville, the only time he came near OVW was when he took her to pick up those papers. She invited him to a show, he didn't want to go. She invited him out with a few of her friends, he wasn't interested. Wrestling was her biggest passion and to him it seemed to be an annoyance.

"The papers," she stopped walking. She had almost forgotten about them. She was told, in very Mission: Impossible fashion, not to open it until she got a call that morning. She pulled her tootbrush out of her mouth, looking at the clock on the cable box. It was almost noon. But she'd taken a shower and she always blasted music while she was in the shower so there was a possibility...

She rushed over to the phone, snatching it quickly off of it's base. Her heart started beating faster when she saw that there was a message.

_20 Minutes Later..._

Damien was startled out of his sleep when he heard a loud squeal coming from the living room. Cory's dogs Don Juan and Mr. Belvedere raced out of the room and Damien followed suit, stopping when he spotted Cory up on the couch, dancing around like she'd just scored a game winning touch down.

"Corinne?" he stared at her. "What are you doing?"

She stopped, slightly out of breath, smiling from ear to ear.

"Damien!" she squealed excitedly. "They want me in New York in _two days_!"

"What?" Damien asked. "Who?"

"Vince McMahon," she said. "The WWE. They want me in New York in _two days_!"

"For what?"

"What do you think?" she squeaked. "_Monday_ is in two days Damien. What happens on Monday?"

Damien felt himself growing tense, "They want you to start on Monday? Isn't this short notice?"

"Who cares if it's short notice?" Cory said. "They have a storyline for me, they want me on Raw. They could let me know an hour before show time and I'd find a way to get there. Do you have any idea how _huge_ this is?"

"You're sure you wanna do this?" he asked.

Her smile fell and she stared at him, "Are you kidding?"

He couldn't hide his irritation any longer, "Do you even realize that you haven't asked me what I wanted to talk to you about yesterday?"

She shook her head, "I'm sorry, I forgot."

"I want you to move in with me Cory," he said. "I want you to get a _real_ job or, hell, don't work if you want to, you don't need the money. But I want you to move back to-"

"_Real job_?" her eyes narrowed. "You really wanna go there with me Damien?"

"Corinne, I love you," he said.

"If you loved me, you wouldnt have said what you just said to me," she finally got down off of the couch.

"I just think you need to grow up a little," Damien said.

"Fuck you," she said, brushing past him, bumping his shoulder as she walked by.

"Where are you going?" he took her arm, turning her to face him.

"To pack my stuff," she said. "I've got a flight to New York in two days."

_-----------------------------------_

So, if you want more of the story, let me know, I aim to please


	2. Chapter 2

**Minor Correction: Jessica is actually 27. Thanks and another note - in the beginning of the story, John Cena is 26**

**Hope you're liking the story so far. As usual, Read, Enjoy, & _Review_!!**

**Chapter 2...**

_New York…2 Days Later…_

Cory hefted her bag over her shoulder as she walked into the hotel. She'd left the rest of her bags in the trunk of her car. She briefly considered going to her own apartment but Jessica told her that it was probably a good idea to be in the hotel to bond with her new co-workers. She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head as she walked toward the front desk. Just as she reached it, she felt someone bump her out of the way. She heard a squeak escape her as her dark glasses fell back down to cover her eyes. She turned and could just barely see the face of the man who had moved her.

"Reservation for John Cena," he told the receptionist.

Cory pushed her glasses up to see if she'd heard correctly. Sure enough, John Cena was standing before her, looking straight ahead as if he hadn't just shoulder blocked her.

"Excuse me," she spoke up, trying not to sound too irritated. Maybe he just wasn't looking. "I think I was next."

He looked over at her and then rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the receptionist who was looking up his room number in her computer.

Cory looked around, wondering if anyone else had seen what she just did. Did he actually just roll his eyes at her? She had always heard that John Cena was such a nice guy. From what she'd experienced so far, that wasn't exactly true.

"I wasn't aware waiting in line had gone out of style," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and waiting.

"They haven't," he said, as the receptionist handed him keys to his room and a few brochures for local attractions. "I just have somewhere important to be."

"And I don't?" she arched a brow, a little surprised. She didn't expect people on the street to know who she was, unless they'd been ECW fans nearing the end, but she would hope that someone in the business would recognize her, especially considering they would be working together in a matter of hours.

"Look, what you have to do isn't my concern," John said. "So why don't you just chill over there while I finish this up and then maybe once I'm done I'll give you an autograph and take a picture with you or something."

Cory could do nothing but stare as he gave her a condescending little smirk before turning and signing the sheet of paper the hotel clerk asked him to sign. John Cena, fan favorite, the guy little kids lost their minds over at every show, was quite possibly the biggest ass she'd met in a long time.

Once he was done he smiled and politely thanked the clerk and then walked away.

Cory shook her head, glaring, "Asshole."

_-----------------------------------_

_2 hours later...  
_

"So have I mentioned how excited I am that Cory's _finally_ gonna be working with us?" Dawn asked Mark as he handed her a bottle of water.

"Yes you have," he laughed. "I'm lookin' forward to it too."

Mark didn't express his enthusiasm quite as openly as Dawn but he was looking forward to seeing his good friend. He met Cory a few weeks after she started in ECW. Dawn had told him about the new girl and how good she was in the ring and how well the got along. Mark had a night off and planned on surprising Dawn at her apartment in New Jersey. He rang the doorbell and, to his surprise, someone he hadn't seen before answered the door. She was tall and, at the time, her hair was dyed black with a very slight bluish tint. Her eyes went wide when she saw him standing before her. Mark's relationship with Dawn was one of best kept secrets in the business in those days. They both stared at each other for a few seconds until Dawn came to the door and introduced them. She stammered a little and he could tell that she was trying to keep from gushing, which he appreciated considering the situation. Dawn convinced him that Cory wouldn't tell anyone about what was going on with them and he ended up ordering dinner for all three of them. They sat in Dawn's living room for hours laughing and talking. From that day forward, Mark had taken Cory under his wing. She was like a younger sister to him. They would often have long talks about where she wanted to go in the business. Especially in those early days, she was so young and confused. Her family, with the obvious exception of Jessica, strongly opposed to her involvement in wrestling. Her mother Adelle couldn't understand why the daughter she'd worked so hard to spoil like a little princess had any interest in doing something that would involve her getting sweaty and breaking a nail. Then she met that idiot Damien and he tried to discourage her as well. But wrestling was in her heart and she was great at what she did and Mark and Dawn were always there to give her a pep talk when she was feeling down. She was a great friend to them too. Especially when they broke up. She didn't take sides, she made it clear that she loved them both. If it hadn't been for her, they probably wouldn't have developed the peaceful relationship they currently shared. He'd offered numerous times to talk to Vince about hiring her but she wanted to get there on her own and asked him not to. And now she'd done it, and Mark was proud of her.

"Have you talked to her yet today?" Dawn asked.

"Not yet," Mark shook his head. "She was stopping to drop off her dogs at her friend Helena's and pick up her car, then she was supposed to go to the hotel and check in before she came here."

"You haven't talked to her yet and you know her whole itinerary for the day?" she laughed. "Your like a protective father."

Mark shrugged, "Somebody's gotta look out for the kid."

_-----------------------------------_

"How do I look?" Jessica turned around in front of Hunter.

"Why are you so concerned with how you look?" Hunter laughed. "She's your sister, not your boyfriend."

"I am aware of that, thank you," she made a face at him. "But I haven't seen her in forever and I want to look good. So how do I look?"

Hunter hadn't seen Jessica look bad once since the day he met her. He wasn't sure that she could. She was tall with a great body. She had silky black hair that hung almost to the middle of her back with very dark red 'highlights' throughout and big, bright blue eyes with thick dark lashes. She had gotten dressed for the show early, wearing a very tight, black long sleeved t-shirt, a pair of gray camouflage shorts and black knee high boots.

"You look great," he assured her.

"Are you just saying that so I'll stop asking you?" she put her hands on her hips, giving him a suspicious look.

"I'm being honest," he insisted.

"You better be," she glared. Then, her phone started ringing in her purse before she could threaten him any further. She walked over and smiled brightly when she saw who it was.

"It's Cory," she informed him before she answered it. "Hello my darling...So you'll be here in a few minutes then?...Sweet, I'll meet you so I can show you around...Love you..Bye."

_-----------------------------------_

_10 Minutes Later..._

Cory looked around in awe as she made her way through the halls of the backstage area at Madison Square Garden. She couldn't believe she was there. She wanted to pinch herself. Could she actually be preparing for her first show with the WWE at Madison Square Garden of all places? She had told Jessica when she would be there but her sister more than likely got caught up with something because she hadn't met her inside the door as they'd planned. Instead, after making sure she had proper clearance, one of the security guards directed her toward the women's locker room. She was beginning to feel a little lost. The place was so huge, she was pretty sure she'd taken a wrong turn somewhere. Then, she almost tripped over her own feet when she stepped on one of her shoelaces. She put her bag down on the floor and bent down to tie it. She was about to get up when she heard a loud noise right next to her.

_-----------------------------------_

John put his hand on the wall to keep himself from falling. Could this day get more irritating? First, he woke up late, then he had to rush to get to the airport. Then, once he got to the airport, he was told that he was too late, even though he had _just_ missed the final boarding call for his plane and it hadn't left yet. Then, he sat and argued with the condescending, Napoleonic little jerk behind the counter for so long that he missed the plane. Then, he had to rebook his flight after explaining to airport security why he threatened to whoop the guy's ass. He was exhausted and now people were putting things on the floor in the middle of the hallway. Annoyed, he turned around to see what he tripped over. He was shocked when he spotted the young woman from the hotel lobby.

_Isn't this interesting?_

She was kneeling down, she seemed to have been tying her shoe lace before he tripped. Now she was staring at him, surprised. She stood up, brushing off the knees of her pants and he got a good look at her. She was about 5'7" or 5'8" with long, light brown hair, big blue eyes, and full lips. She was wearing a pink sweater and jeans and though the sweater was a little loose, he could tell she was hiding a very nice body; athletic and curvy. She was probably some type of model. Normally he would take a little more time to admire the view but, though she was pretty, he was still in a bad mood.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

She crossed her arms over her chest, "I work here."

He rolled his eyes, he'd heard this story before, "Sure you do."

She stared at him as if he'd lost his mind for a few seconds. Then, she rolled her eyes, "I don't have time for this."

She picked up the bag on the floor next to her and started to walk past him. This one was good, she even brought a gym bag with her to look authentic.

John gently took her arm, keeping her from walking away, "Look sweetheart, fans aren't allowed back here without passes...Neither are groupies. You're just gonna have to wait outside after the show like everybody else."

"_What_?" she stared.

"What the hell...John, let her go!"

John turned to see his good friend Jessica walking toward him.

"Jessie, you know groupies aren't allowed backstage," John said.

"Will you stop calling me a god damn groupie?" the brunette tried to pull her arm away from him.

"She's not a groupie, _genius_," Jessica said. "She's my _sister_."

John let go of the young woman and looked at her as she stood next to Jessica. He had seen Jessica's sister before when she was in ECW. Not too much but he remembered seeing her. And, at the time, she had dark, almost blood red hair and she wasn't as tan as this girl. And Jessica showed him a few pictures once and the girl had a nose ring and her hair was black and blue. He looked at the brunette's face, then at Jessica, and back again. They had the same big blue eyes shrouded in thick dark eyelashes, the same arch in their brows. Jessica was a little taller, the other a little bustier but their hair even had the same wavy texture.

"You've seen her before but she used to have a bit of a thing for dying her hair," Jessica explained.

"Son of a bitch," John shook his head.

"John Cena," Jessica smiled, obviously a little amused at the situation. "Meet Corinne Samms, my sister and our newest Diva...Cory, meet John Cena."

John stared, still not saying anything.

"He'll say hello once he yanks his foot out of his mouth," Jessica smiled at Cory.

"I figured as much," Cory smirked, giving John a smug look. "You know, I'd much rather go meet some of my nicer coworkers than stand here waiting for him to regain his composure. Can we go?"

"If you want to," Jessica shrugged. She gave John a pointed look, "I'll talk to you later."

_-----------------------------------_

"Well that was a friendly welcome," Cory smirked as she and Jessica walked down the hall.  
"Don't mind John," Jessica said. "Portia's been giving him crap lately and it's had his panties in an awful bunch. Anyway, forget him for now, it is _so_ good to see you!"

"You too," Cory hugged her tightly. She took a step back to look at her sister, "You look _fantastic_."

"So do you," Jessica said. She touched Cory's hair, "I see we went back to the natural color. I love it. I'm sure Adelle about wet her pants with excitement."

"Thank you and she was _thrilled_. Do you even remember what yours looks like?" Cory laughed, touching Jessica's dyed waves.

"It's somewhere in the brown family if memory serves," Jessica laughed.

"I think you're right," Cory laughed.

"Okay, we can catch up on beauty tips later," Jessica said. "I wanna introduce you to some people before it gets too hectic back here."

"Is it dumb that I'm nervous?" Cory asked as they turned a corner. "Because I don't usually get nervous."

"It's normal," Jessica insisted. "Where's Damien? He couldn't make it for your first show?"

Cory smirked at Jessica's tone. Her sister had never liked Damien. Neither did Mark or Dawn.

"Damien..isn't going to be around anymore," Cory said.

"He's not?" Jessica's eyes practically lit up.

"Don't be too excited Jessie," Cory laughed.

"Sorry, you know how I felt about him," Jessica said. "You can do much better."

"I hope so," she shrugged.

Jessica stopped when they reached the door marked _Women's Locker Room_, "Ready?"

Cory nodded and Jessica opened the door, walking in and pulling Cory behind her. Cory felt a tiny bit intimidated when she found herself standing in front of three of the company's most popular divas: Trish Stratus, Viveca LeVeaux, and Portia Kelly. Portia was about Cory's height with long, shiny black hair and almond shaped hazel eyes. She was wearing a blue strapless shirt and a black skirt and silver strappy shoes. Viveca was shorter, probably 5'5" with straight black hair and pale green eyes. She was in a pink strapless dress and matching heels. Trish, one of Cory's favorite divas, was in jeans and a t-shirt.

"Ladies, I'd like you to meet our newest Diva and my little sister, Cory Samms," Jessica introduced.

"Do you always have to throw in the little sister thing?" Cory asked.

"I do," Jessica nodded.

"Great to meet you," Trish stepped up, shaking her hand. "I've seen some of your matches, you're amazing."

Cory felt a dumb smile spread across her face. Trish Stratus, former Women's Champion, was calling her amazing, "Thank you so much. I'm a big fan."

"Well then thank you," Trish laughed. "I've gotta run, I'll see you all later."  
"Hello," Viveca smiled warmly, hugging Cory. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."  
"Cor, this is Viveca Bonham, also known as Viveca LeVeaux," Jessica introduced. "And that one over there reading the magazine is Portia Kelly."  
"Nice to meet you Portia," Cory said, offering her hand. Portia looked at her hand but didn't touch it.  
"So you're the one Vince wants in our storyline?" Portia stood up, looking Cory up and down.

Cory reminded herself that it was a first day and she didn't want anyone thinking she was disrespectful so she didn't say anything.

"Her storyline?" Viveca raised a brow.

"You never told me this," Jessica looked at Cory.

"I just found out today," Cory explained. "Vince has decided I'm going to be Cory Flair, daughter of The Nature Boy, girlfriend of Randy Orton, newest member of Evolution."

"That's _great_!" Jessica hugged her.

Cory smiled, hugging her back. She didn't want to gush too much since Portia was so obviously annoyed but she was thrilled. She was getting to work with Ric Flair, one of her idols and Triple H, a future hall of famer and one of the best in the business.

"Wait..girlfriend of Randy Orton?" Jessica laughed.

Cory rolled her eyes, sighing. That was the not so thrilling part.

"I think I'm missing something," Viveca laughed.

"Cory's not exactly Randy's biggest fan," Jessica said. "He came to a show she was doing once to hang out with some friends and started hitting on her."

"More like propositioning me," Cory made a face.

"She had a boyfriend at the time and informed him and he didn't seem to care much," Jessica laughed.

"The next few times I saw him, he was all over me," Cory shook her head.

"Sounds fun," Viveca laughed.

"I'm surprised he would hit on you," Portia said.

"Watch it Portia," Jessica said. "My sister might not say anything to you yet but I have no problem with telling you what I think."

Cory would be annoyed if it weren't almost flattering. Randy Orton and John Cena were currently feuding. Portia was John Cena's valet/'girlfriend', which meant that she and Cory were headed for a rivalry. Portia's blatant animosity showed that she was feeling threatened, and Cory hadn't even debuted yet.

"I have to go find John," Portia said.

"I'm sure he'll be _thrilled_ to see you," Jessica said as the other woman stalked out of the room.

"She always that friendly?" Cory asked.

Viveca laughed, "No, sometimes she's downright mean."

_-----------------------------------_

1 Hour Later...

"So what'd you do to her?" Jeff laughed. John had just told a few of his friends to expect Jessica storming into their dressing room soon.  
"Assumed her sister was a groupie and tried to throw her out," John sighed.

"You did what?" Mark glared at him.

"Oh not you too," John shook his head.

"Yeah, me too," Mark nodded. "Did you apologize?"

"She didn't really give me a chance," John said. "She just made some little sarcastic remark and then she and Jessie walked off."

"I suggest you apologize as soon as you get a chance," Mark pointed at him.

"It was an honest mistake," John shrugged.

"Are you saying she looks like a groupie?" Mark asked.

"No, no," John shook his head. "I'm just saying that I wasn't trying to be mean. And she wasn't exactly nice to me either."

"Doesn't matter," Mark said. "Just say you're sorry."

John was about to say something else but the door opened and Jessica walked in, eyes narrowed, arms crossed, "Cena, I need to talk to you."

_-----------------------------------_

_20 Minutes to Showtime_

"So, you wanna be my date tonight?" Jeff asked, leaning against the wall as Viveca drank her bottle of water.

Viveca shook her head. Jeff had been trying to get her to go out with him since her first month in the company. 2 years later, he still wasn't giving up. Sometimes it was almost cute but most of the time it was just frustrating. She was running out of ways to tell him now. He just wasn't her type. At all.

"Jeff, I'm really not in the mood right now," she rolled her eyes.

"I just want to know if you want to go to dinner with the rest of us," Jeff asked. "A bunch of us are going out to celebrate Cory's first night."  
"If I say yes, will you promise not to hit on me?" Viveca smiled.  
"Maybe," he shrugged.  
"Yes, I'll go," she said.  
"Thank you," he smiled.  
"I'm going for Cory, not you."  
"Believe what you want," Jeff smiled. "We all know who you're _really_ going for."  
"Jeff the hair dye is seeping into your brain," she rolled her eyes. "I don't like you."  
"Sure you don't."

_-----------------------------------_

"Wow," Cory said, standing sideways in front of the mirror. She had just put on her dress for the show. It was already picked out for her and apparently, whoever picked it underestimated the size of her ass because it was a _wee_ bit short.

"It looks great," Dawn said.

"I like it," Cory turned, facing herself. She put her hands on her hips, studying the dress. It was a short gray halter with a very low neck and black lace trim. Her hair was curled they'd done her makeup pretty naturally. She sat on the couch next to her friend, folding her legs up under her. She was still having trouble grasping the day she'd had. In the last two hours, she had a meeting with Vince and Stephanie McMahon, Hunter Levesque, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and her new least favorite people, John Cena and Portia Kelly, to discuss their upcoming angle. After that, Ric and Hunter declared they wanted to get to know her a little better before the show started. She had to get her hair curled so they sat with her while she had her hair done and they all talked. The hair stylist kept threatening to burn her because she kept moving her head but she couldn't help it. Ric kept making her laugh. Now she was in the women's locker room with Dawn, all ready for the show, just praying her dress didn't ride up too far on her first night.

"Okay, last minute advice," Dawn smiled, pushing Cory's hair out of her face. "You're a heel so don't be all smiley. You have a tendency to smile a lot."

Cory nodded.

"You look really good when you do that bitchy little smirk thing," Dawn said. "You know, the one where your eyebrow kinda goes up."

"I do not have a _bitchy little smirk thing_," Cory laughed.

"Trust me, you do," Dawn said. "I think you got it from your mom, I've seen her do it too."

"You're comparing me to my mom?" Cory asked. "Minutes before my WWE debut, what I've been dreaming of for years and you're comparing me to my mom?"

Dawn laughed, "I'm trying to help."

"You are helping," Cory said. "I got it, bitchy, not smiley. I think I can handle that."

"I know you can," Dawn smiled, giving her a hug. "I'm so proud."

"Don't be," Cory laughed. "I haven't done anything yet."

_-----------------------------------_


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter. You know the drill, _Read_, _Enjoy_, & _Review_. Really, reviews make me happy..**

**Chapter 3...**

"Hey Corinne, can I talk to you for a second?"

Cory turned, surprised to see Portia standing in front of her.

"You know, you can call me Cory," she said. "My mother is pretty much the only person who calls me Corinne."

"Right," Portia seemed uninterested. "Can we talk?"

"We only have a few minutes before-"

"It'll be quick, trust me," Portia insisted. She started walking away and Cory followed, wondering what this could be about.

They reached a quiet corner and Portia turned to her, "I just wanted to take a moment to make something very clear to you."

_Oh this should be good_

"And what is that Portia?"

Portia looked her up and down, "I'm not convinced."

Cory waited for her to go on.

"You're pretty enough I guess, but I'm not convinced. I'm not impressed," Portia said. "I don't think you deserve to be here."

Cory nodded, reminding herself to keep her temper in check, "And why do you think that?"

"Because you're not as good as me," Portia shrugged. "And I doubt you ever will be."

"Really?" Cory raised a brow. "Wow."

"I know you have some friends around here and they just think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread," Portia said. "But I see things differently. And I want you to know that when you mess up, I'll be the first person to call it out."

Cory thought about calling her a bitch but decided against it. That was probably what Portia wanted. That way, she could go tell everyone that the new girl insulted her on her first day and make her look bad. Cory went with a different approach.

"Portia, last year I was ranked the 12th best women's wrestler in the world...What number were you?" Cory asked. Portia didn't seem to have a response and Cory walked away, knowing the answer to her question: _38_.

_-----------------------------------_

Viveca finished curling her hair and ran her fingers through it, smiling at herself in the mirror. She turned to Dawn, "How do I look?"

"You look fantastic," Dawn said, staring at two pairs of shoes.

"Wear those," Viveca pointed to a black pair as she walked by her friend to get to her own personal items. She grabbed the short red dress she had hanging up, "Have you seen Adam?"

"About a half hour ago," Dawn answered. "He and Jason were talking to Mark."

"Has he seemed kind of..weird lately?" Viveca asked, stepping into her dress and pulling it up.

"Which one?" Dawn laughed.

"Adam," Viveca said. "He's been distant."

"He seems pretty normal to me," Dawn shrugged. "But I guess I don't pay as much attention to him as _some people_."

"Was that some sort of a shot at me?" Viveca raised a brow.

"If you choose to take it that way, then so be it," Dawn smirked. "I just feel bad for Jeff."

"_Why_ would you feel bad for Jeff?" Viveca laughed, reapplying her lip gloss.

"Oh come on Vivie," Dawn rolled her eyes. "He follows you around like a puppy. It's sweet."

"It's not sweet," Viveca insisted. "It's frustrating."

Dawn shrugged, "_I_ think it's sweet."

Viveca laughed, "Well then you take him."

"He's not my type," Dawn laughed.

"Oh that's right," Viveca smiled. "Your type is taller with green eyes and a big forehead."

Dawn laughed, playfully tossing a t-shirt at her friend, "Shutup."

"The show's starting," Viveca pointed to the monitor in the corner where the opening video had just finished.

Dawn pulled a chair closer to the monitor, sitting down to watch her best friend's first night on TV.

-----------------------------------

**RAW**

The crowd was a mix of cheers and booing as Evolution's music began.

"Oh great," JR said dryly as the group made their way out onto the stage.

"Who is _that_?" King asked as the camera briefly focused on a gorgeous brunette with her arm looped through Randy Orton's.

"I have no idea King," JR said. "But I'm sure we're gonna find out."

Triple H and Batista entered the ring first, followed by Ric Flair. Then, Randy watched, smiling as the brunette slowly climbed into the ring.

-----------------------------------

Cory remembered Dawn's coaching and made sure not to look as giddy as she felt as she stood in the ring between Ric and Randy. Randy's hand found it's way to Cory's back. She wasn't exactly surprised, she'd figured Randy was going to capitalize on their 'relationship' angle sooner or later.

Hunter waited for the noise to die down before he spoke.

"Before I get down to business," Hunter said. "I'm sure a lot of fourteen year old boys have already hopped onto the internet, trying to find the identity of the lovely young woman behind me."

Cory felt Randy's hand on her ass but she forced the smug smile to stay on her face.

"This, ladies and gentlemen," Hunter began. "Is this newest member of Evolution. And if you're wondering how she got so good looking, look no further than that man right there."

Cory laughed a little as Hunter pointed at Ric.

"Her name is Cory Flair," Hunter introduced. "The only woman in the world good enough to be a part of Evolution. Now, I know you're all waiting to hear what I have to say about what happened between me and Shawn Michaels last week..."

Cory listened intently as Hunter continued. He covered his feud with Shawn Michaels, then went through the rest of Evolution including Batista's rivalry with Brock Lesnar, Ric Flair's conflict with Chris Jericho, and then Randy's problem with John Cena. He finished with a promise that as usual, Evolution would run the show, with that, it was time to leave. She'd been in the ring for a while but it felt like only a minute or two. She couldn't get enough of being in front of such a huge crowd. She'd gotten a taste of it in ECW but nothing quite like this. The men exited the ring and then Cory stepped through the ropes. Randy and Batista helped her down and then Randy put his hand dangerously low on her back again. Once she knew the show was at commercial, she turned to him as they walked up the ramp, "Randy, unless you want to lose a few fingers, i suggest you cool it with the ass grabbing, okay?"

Randy smirked, "I'll think about it."

Hunter held back the curtain as everybody walked through it.

"Not too bad," he said, as they walked back through the gorilla position.

"Don't be too nice," she laughed. "I haven't actually done anything."

"You got through the segment without a wardrobe malfunction in that dress," Hunter laughed. "I'd say that's an accomplishment."

Cory laughed, "Thanks Hunter."

"Besides, you've got a bigger role later tonight," Hunter said. "I'm sure you'll be great."

Cory smiled, "Thanks...I see why my sister talks about you so much."

Hunter looked a little surprised, "She does?"

-----------------------------------

"Maybe I need to come up with one of those creative dates," Jeff suggested. "Women like that stuff."

"It only works if they like _you_ man," John laughed, patting his friend on the shoulder before he left the room.

"He's right," Matt laughed. "You should really give up. Do you know how many women wanna date you?"

"Yeah," Jason Reso spoke up. "You don't know what it's like to be in the shadow of the cute one."

"You're plenty cute Jay," Adam joked, mussing his friend's hair.

"Says the one who gets all the women," Jason rolled his eyes.

"You have a girlfriend," Adam laughed.

Jason nodded, "That is true, but she liked you first."

"She did," Matt laughed. "I remember that."

"Isn't this conversation supposed to be about Jeff and Viveca, not me?" Adam laughed.

"The point is, Jeff, you need to give up on the one that doesn't want you and focus on the tons who do," Matt said.

Jeff shrugged, "I guess."

-----------------------------------

"She said what to you?" Jessica looked irritated.

"Jessie, it's not a big deal," Cory shrugged. "She was just trying to psych me out before the show started. She wants me to mess up."

"She doesn't even know you," Jessica said.

"She doesn't need to," Cory shrugged. "She doesn't like that there's a new girl in the fold. I don't really care."

"Well I'm pissed," Jessica insisted.

"I'm not," Cory shrugged. "I'm gonna have so much fun proving her wrong."

-----------------------------------

_Later that night..._

**RAW**

"This should be quite a match folks," JR said as John Cena handed his jersey and his chain to his girlfriend Portia. Matt Hardy waited for him, obviously ready for the action to start.

The ref was about to ring the bell when Randy Orton's music began. The crowd booed as he walked to the ring with Cory at his side.

"What is this about?" JR asked.

"I don't know, but I cant say that I mind JR," King laughed. "I like Cory."

"You've never even met her King."

The couple walked around the ring, stopping for a second when Randy pointed at John and then whispered something to Cory. They both started laughing and he took her hand, leading her toward the announce table.

"My what a lovely surprise," JR said, voice dripping with disdain as Randy sat down next to King and Cory sat on his lap.

King gave them both a pair of headphones.

"To what do we owe this honor?" JR asked.

"Relax JR," Randy smirked. "We're just here to take in the show."

"So you're coming out here has nothing to do with your problem with John Cena?" JR asked skeptically.

"We just thought it would be an interesting match to watch," Cory said, smiling innocently.

"You are a _lucky_ man Randy," King said, smiling and shaking Cory's hand.

"Yes I am," Randy agreed. "Now keep your hands to yourself Lawler."

"Of course," King said. "I'm a gentleman."

"Sure you are King," JR laughed. The match began and Cena got the upper hand.

_A Few Minutes Later..._

"I don't trust them," JR said.

Randy and Cory had left the announce table and were standing at ringside, watching the match.

"Cena doesn't either," King said. "He seems really distracted."

"Wouldn't you be distracted with these two plotting at ringside?"

"What makes you think they're plotting JR?" King asked. "Maybe they really do just want to see the match."

"And maybe I'm a hunky calendar model," JR said.

Cory slowly strayed from Randy's side and found herself near the ringsteps and in front of a very annoyed Portia Kelly.

"Uh oh," JR said. "This doesn't look good."

"Looks good to me JR," King laughed as Portia said something to Cory. Cory made a talking gesture with her hand, rolling her eyes, which seemed to infuriate Portia.

Portia slapped Cory's hand and then the two women started arguing. They were yelling at each other and the referee came out of the ring to try and separate them. Then, Cory grabbed John Cena's chain that was sitting on the ring steps and tossed it into the ring. She was so quick that no one noticed at first.

"Did you see that JR?" King asked.

"She just gave Cena's chain to Matt Hardy!" JR exclaimed. "She cant do that!"

"She just did," King said. "And that referee didn't see a thing."

The referee was still trying to get the women to calm down when Matt Hardy wrapped the chain around his head and punched John Cena right in the face, sending the larger man to the ground. Hardy quickly slid the chain out of the ring and Cory finally backed away from Portia. The referee slid into the ring just in time to see Matt pin Cena and he counted the fall.

"I cant believe this!" JR exclaimed.

Portia looked shocked and furious as Matt slid out of the ring and handed the chain to Cory. She laughed, putting it on as she and Randy backed up the ramp.

"That apple didn't fall far from the tree," JR said.

Portia slid into the ring with John, who was finally getting up. Randy put his arm around his girlfriend as they walked backstage, obviously pleased with themselves.

_-----------------------------------_

"That was _so_ much fun," Cory said as she reached the backstage area and found herself in one of Mark's bear hugs.

"You were great," he mussed her hair. "I wasn't sure how much I'd like this character but it's going good."

"Thank you," Cory smiled.

"You could stand to have more clothes on though," Mark suggested.

"I knew you were gonna say that," she laughed.

"You know me well," Mark said.

Cory was about to make fun of Mark when she felt something hit her back and she stumbled forward so hard the heel on her shoe broke. She turned around to see John and Portia arguing as they walked by. John was closest to her so it was obvious he was he one who bumped her. And if he realized he did it, he didn't seem to care.

Cory shook her head, looking up at Mark, "How come no one warned me that guy was such an asshole?"

------------------------------------


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for the kind reviews. I'm glad to know that there are people enjoying the story. You know the drill, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 4...  
**  
"I have never disliked someone so quickly in my entire life," Cory shook her head.

"John's a great guy once you get to know him," Dawn insisted.

"_Why_ would I want to get to know him?" Cory laughed.

"He's just having a bad week," Dawn shrugged. "You've met Portia."

"His ex girlfriend getting on his nerves is not my problem," Cory shrugged. "That doesn't make it okay for him to act like an ass."

"I'm sure he feels bad about it," Dawn said. "I swear he's not as bad as you think."

Cory rolled her eyes, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You ready to go?" Dawn asked, stepping into her shoes.

"Yup," Cory finished her lip gloss. "Don't bothering getting your keys. Mark's driving."

"When was this decided?" Dawn asked.

"I called him a little while ago," Cory said, running a hand through her hair. "I thought I told you."

Dawn could see that her friend was hiding a smile.

"Corinne Charlotte Samms, I have already asked you not to play matchmaker," Dawn pointed.

"I'm not," Cory insisted. "It's just a ride Dawn, relax."

-----------------------------

"You know..I _know_ I should feel like an ass," John said. "And a part of me does."

"But..." Matt gestured for him to continue.

"But there's another part of me that just doesn't like that girl," John shook his head. "Do you?"

"She seems cool to me. I wasn't around her too much," Matt shrugged. "I haven't heard anything bad about her though."

"I guess we just..rub each other the wrong way or something," John said. "I get a stuck up vibe from her."

"I think you're alone in that buddy," Matt laughed. "But I get a feeling it's gonna be amusing to watch the two of you around each other so I'm not gonna argue with you...Hey, look what the cat dragged in."

John looked toward the door of the bar, frowning when he spotted Portia.

"Why?" he asked. "Why cant I get away from that woman?"

"Maybe she's your soul mate," Matt laughed.

"Not possible," John said. "She has no soul."

"Don't let her hear you say that," Matt said. "She still thinks that she broke your heart when she dumped you."

"It was one of the happiest days of my life," John said. "Now if only she would forget I exist."

"I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon," Matt said. "Not when she's trying to get you back."

John put his head down on the table, "Why me?"

-----------------------------

_20 Minutes Later..._

"Oh look, it's my new best friends," Cory smirked, nodding toward something. Jessica turned to see who she was talking about and saw John and Portia. Portia was talking and John looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"And your biggest fan," Jessica pointed.

Cory's sighed when she saw Randy, "And now it's time for me to go back to the hotel."

"Oh no you don't," Jessica laughed. "You're staying if you know what's good for you. I didn't round everybody up to celebrate your first night just so you could bail."

"Well I didn't know Casanova was gonna be here," Cory frowned.

"You can handle it," Jessica patted her on the arm. "Now if you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to go talk to John."

"Don't you dare leave me!" Cory whispered. "He's coming over here. What am I supposed to do?"

"Pretend you're a statue, maybe he'll get confused and go away," Jessica smiled, patting her head and then walking over to separate John and Portia.

-----------------------------

Taylor Vogle paced back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. She ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head. She was standing on the side of the highway in the middle of nowhere. She was pretty sure she was somewhere in Illinois. At least that was where she intended to be. She'd accidentally left her map at a diner. Her plan was to take an exit and go to a gas station or a truck stop to get another one but her car decided it would be better to just stop working.

"Well this is just great," she said. It was times like these that she really wished she had a cell phone. Not that she had anyone to call. She had no family and even fewer friends. Her decision to up and leave probably hadn't been the best one but she just couldn't take it there anymore. And she certainly hadn't expected her faithful Ford to up and die on her in the 11th hour. She pulled the hood of the car up, staring at the engine. Unfortunately, she knew nothing about cars so she had no way to fix it. She was so frustrated she could feel tears coming to her eyes. She shook her head, knowing she had to stay calm and figure out a plan. It wasn't like things could get any worse. Just as that thought crossed her mind, she felt a drop of rain hit her nose. Then, before she could even move, it started pouring.

_"You can stay out there 'til you learn to behave!"_

_Taylor stumbled onto the porch, a rock scraping the bottom of her foot. She flinched when she heard the front door slam behind her. It was freezing outside and she could barely see through the rain. The cold rain soaked her pajamas and made her hair stick to her head. She breathed deeply, doing everything she could not to cry. Her head hurt, her arm hurt,and she just wanted to go back inside and curl up in her bed. But she knew he wouldn't let her come back in. He was mad and he wanted to punish her. She hated being out there but she hated seeing him yell at her mom even more. She was asleep when she heard yelling downstairs. She crept out of her room and down the stairs and saw him yelling at her mother. She didn't think twice before yelling for him to stop. Furious, he turned yelling for her to go upstairs. She refused and then he grabbed her, one had on her arm and the other with a handful of her hair, and dragged her outside. She sat down in the corner of the porch, huddling against the house, praying that the rain let up soon. She couldn't hear the yelling anymore. At least her mom was okay..._

-----------------------------

"Well if it isn't my favorite tag team," Viveca smiled, walking up to Adam and Jason's table.

"Hey V," Jason smiled, pulling out a chair for her.

Adam smiled, waving.

"Very nice match tonight," she complimented them both.

"I was barely in it," Jason laughed.

"That's probably why she thought it was so good," Adam teased.

"I don't have to take this kind of abuse," Jason said, getting up. "I'm going to get another drink, Viveca, you want anything?"

"I'm good, thanks," Viveca smiled.

Viveca liked Jason a lot but she couldn't help but enjoy the chance to talk to Adam alone. In the 2 years Viveca had been with the WWE, Adam had become one of her closest friends. He was someone she could talk to when she was frustrated, upset, happy, whatever. But recently, she'd started to feel a change in their relationship. She was beginning to think of him differently. He didn't seem like _just_ her friend anymore. At first, it seemed like he was feeling the same thing but then, he started acting distant. She wanted to know what was going on.

"So, how are you?" he asked, taking a drink.

She shrugged, "Not too bad."

He nodded, looking around.

"Adam, can I talk to you about something?" she sighed.

He looked concerned.

"You can always talk to me," Adam insisted. "You know that."  
She took a deep breath, "You know...I've noticed lately that things seem a little...different between us."

"Different how?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I feel like-"

Adam's phone rang and he looked at it. He gave her an apologetic look, "Is it okay if I take this?"

She wanted to say no but if she was going to discuss this with him, she wanted his full attention. She shrugged, "Sure, it's not a big deal."

-----------------------------

"Poor Cory," Dawn laughed as she watched her friend talking to Randy. she looked like she was about to scream.

"She can handle Randy," Mark said.

Dawn poured herself another shot and downed it quickly.

"Careful there," Mark put a hand on her back as she stumbled a little.

"I'm always careful," Dawn insisted. "I can handle my liquor."

"You always say that," Mark said. "But one too many and you're on the floor."

"Well if you see me falling," Dawn poured herself yet another shot. She winked at him, "Catch me."

-----------------------------

"And if you ever talk to my little sister like that again..I will kick..your..ass," Jessica said, hitting John in the arm.

"Okay, okay," John said, dodging another hit. "Will you stop with the violence?"

Jessica hit him one more time.

She noticed John looking off to the side and was about to hit him again but he stopped her, "I think your sister wants some help."

Jessica looked to her right and saw Cory standing near the bar with Randy looking absolutely miserable. When Cory saw that she finally had her sister's attention she mouthed _HELP ME._

John laughed, shaking his head.

"You know how you can redeem yourself for being the king of all jerks today?" Jessica smirked.

John looked confused and a little apprehensive, "How?"

"Go help her," Jessica smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What?" John laughed.

"You heard me," Jessica said. "Go help her get away from Randy."

"Why should I care if Randy's hitting on her?" John asked. "That's not my problem."

"I realize that," Jessica said. "But if you're really creative, you can think of a way to solve Cory's problem...and _yours_."

Jessica shot a look over at Portia and then back at John. She could see the gears grinding in his brain.

He nodded, "I think I might have an idea."

-----------------------------

"So then she was like can I have your autograph?" Matt said. "And I said sure and then she just yanks up her top."

Matt sighed when he realized that Jeff wasn't listening to him.

He smacked his brother upside the heat.

"What?" Jeff finally looked at him, rubbing his head.

"Are you listening to me?" Matt asked.

"Yeah man," Jeff nodded. "She asked for an autograph and then pulled her shirt up."

Matt frowned. So he was listening, he was just staring off into space at the same time. Matt glanced in the direction that Jeff was focusing on. So he wasn't staring into space. He was looking at Viveca.

For the life of him, Matt couldn't understand Jeff's crush on Viveca. Matt liked her, sure, and she was beautiful but she wasn't really Jeff's type. They were total opposites. But for some reason, Jeff just couldn't shake this thing for her.

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" Matt suggested.

"Didn't you tell me to give up on her?" Jeff laughed.

"I did but I know you wont listen," Matt said.

Jeff laughed, "You're probably right. She looks like she's having kind of a bad night. I'm gonna go check on her."

-----------------------------

Viveca stirred her drink with her straw, the ice slowly melting. She really wasn't having a good time but going back to the hotel wasn't gonna be any better.

"Hey Viveca."

She closed her eyes when she heard Jeff's voice. She really wasn't in the mood.

He sat across from her, "Are you okay?"

She was a little surprised at his question.

"You look like you're having a bad night," he shrugged. "I just thought I'd make sure you're okay."

She found herself smirking, "Am I that obvious?"

Jeff nodded, "A little. So what's got you moping?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," she shook her head.

He nodded, "Okay, I wont push."

"_You_ wont push?" she smiled. "I appreciate that."

"I'm not as bad as you think," he laughed. He stood up, reaching out his hand, "Come on. Let's cheer you up."

"Jeff, just because I'm talking to you doesn't mean anything's changed," she warned him.

"I realize that," Jeff said. "But I still wanna cheer you up. Come on, let's dance."

"Dance?" she arched a brow.

"It'll make you feel better," he said. "I promise."

Viveca didn't know why she was standing up but she did, pushing her chair in.

"Fine," she agreed. "But no touching me."

Jeff put his hands up, "No touching."

-----------------------------

Cory had no idea what Randy was talking about anymore. All she knew was that if he didn't shut up soon, she was gonna scream. Every time she tried to make some excuse to walk away, he would just keep talking and she gave up. She was gonna kill Jessica for leaving her alone with him. She knew Mark would have helped her but he was busy trying to keep Dawn from drinking too much. She looked down at her nails, wondering if Randy even knew that she wasn't listening. She jumped when she felt an arm drape over her shoulders. She looked up to see John Cena smiling at her.

She frowned, "What the h-"

"Hey baby," he said, pulling her close. He gave Randy a quick wave and Randy nodded to him, looking almost as confused as she felt.

"Baby?" she stared.

"Yeah," he smiled. He looked over at Randy, "Sometimes she gets a little shy. She doesn't want everyone to know about us right away."

"Us?" she stared.

-----------------------------

John could see that Cory wasn't going to follow him unless he said something.

"Us," he smiled, tightening his hold on her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'm trying to help you. Just play along."

She smiled nervously, "That's right. I'm shy sometimes. I thought we weren't gonna tell anybody.._honey_."

"I just couldn't help myself," he laughed, wrapping his other arm around her.

"You're overdoing it," she said through her clenched smile.

"You want me to help you or not?" he said, nuzzling her ear with his nose.

"Fine," she smiled, forcing a giggle. "Honey stop, I'm sure Randy doesn't want to see this."

John laughed, "Randy doesn't mind..Do you Randy?"

-----------------------------

"They seem to be getting along all of a sudden," Hunter laughed, watching as John and Cory flirted.

"Looks can be deceiving," Jessica smirked.

Hunter narrowed his eyes at her, "What did you do?"

"Nothing bad," Jessica smiled. "I just suggested that he help her."

"Are you sure that's a good plan?" he asked.

"I guess we'll see," Jessica shrugged.

He shook his head, laughing.

"You know what you should do right now," she looked up at him.

"What?" he asked.

"You should get me a drink," she smiled.

"What am I? Your house boy?" he laughed.

"No you're my friend...who wants to go get me a drink," she smiled, laying her head on his shoulder and batting her eyelashes at him.  
"Am I?" he asked.  
"You are," she nodded, kissing him on the cheek. "Now go."  
-----------------------------

John kept his hand on the middle of Cory's back as they talked to Randy.

"Can I see you outside for a second?" she asked, taking his hand in hers.

"Sure babe," he smiled. "We'll see you later Randy."

They walked outside hand in hand and once they were out of sight she turned to him, "Wow John..This is so nice of you. I cant even begin to thank you enough."

John smiled, "Don't worry about it. I just-"

"That was _sarcasm_," she glared, smacking him in the arm.

"Ouch!" he took a step back. "You are just as violent as your sister."

"Sometimes I'm worse," she said.

"Why are you hitting me?" he asked. "I saved your ass."

"How are we supposed to explain this?" she asked. "We're _not_ dating!"

"Well if you wanna keep Randy away from you, I suggest we keep this up," John said.

Her blue eyes narrowed and she eyed him suspiciously, "You don't even like me...Why would you want to help?"

She was smarter than he gave her credit for.

"What makes you think I'm not just trying to be a nice guy?" he asked.

"Because in less than 24 hours you've made it abundantly clear to me that being a nice guy is very hard for you," she crossed her arms over her chest. "If you're helping me with Randy, it's because you want something in return. What is it?"

John ran a hand over his face, seeing that he had to let her in on his side of this little plan, "If it looks like I'm with you, Portia will back off."

She was quiet for a second, then nodded, "I can understand wanting that. She's an even more of an ass than you."

"Thanks," he said dryly.

She shook her head, "How can we possibly pull this off? I mean, we don't even like each other."

"We don't have to," he said. "Acting is a part of our job. Think of this as...overtime."  
"So we pretend to be in a relationship," she said.

"It keeps Portia out of my face and keeps Randy from humping your leg," he said.

"I cant believe I'm considering this," she shook her head.

"Come on," he said. "There's worse guys you could have to pretend to date."

She rolled her eyes, "Something tells me I'm going to regret this."

"We both might," he shrugged. "What's life without a few risks?"

She shook her head, extending her hand, "Okay...deal."

John shook her hand, wondering what he was getting himself into, "Deal."

-----------------------------

Chris Irvine rounded the curve of wet road, lost in thought. He was supposed to be in Chicago two hours earlier but the airline delayed his flight because of the rain. After the second delay, he just gave up and rented a car, deciding it would be easier to just drive. It was only a few hours and he wasn't in the mood to sit in the airport all night. He laughed, thinking about the guy in the Chris Jericho t-shirt that was in front of him in line at Enterprise. He couldn't resist tapping him on the shoulder and asking if he knew the time. The guy looked like he was about to faint. After signing an autograph and taking a few pictures, he was on his way. Chris laughed, shaking his head a little. Then he felt the wheel jerk in his hands. He struggled to control it but the car was sliding off of the road. The car spun once and Chris gripped the wheel as tightly as he could and slammed his foot on the brake. The car stopped on the shoulder, mere inches away from a parked car.

"Holy _shit_," Chris struggled to catch his breath, turning the car off, taking the keys out of the ignition and tossing them onto the seat beside him. He leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair. His heart was nearly beating out of his chest. Once his breathing returned to normal, it occured to him that the owner of the car in front of him might need some help. He got out of the car, wishing he'd thought to buy an umbrella at the gas station. There wasn't anybody standing outside the car. He looked into the backseat and spotted the limp form of a young woman lying in the backseat. Concerned, Chris lightly tapped on the window. She didn't move.

_Son of a bitch_

Chris prayed he hadn't stumbled upon some sort of a crime scene or something. Worried, he knocked harder on the window.

-----------------------------

Taylor jumped when she heard knocking on the window. She scrambled to the far door, her back pressed against it. She was breathing heavily, staring at the strange man watching her. Panicked, she looked around for a weapon. Her purse was on the floor in the front seat. There wasn't anything back there with her except a newspaper and she couldn't exactly hurt anyone with that. The man reached for the door handle and, frantic, Taylor opened the door behind her and practically fell out of the car. She made it to her feet just in time to see him coming toward her. Suddenly, she remembered the switchblade she had in her back pocket. She didn't normally keep it there but she remembered putting it into her pocket when she was looking for something in the glove compartment. She pulled it out, holding it up where he could see it.

"Stay away from me!" she yelled, backing away, almost losing her footing on the soggy ground.

"I don't wanna hurt you," he said, putting his hands up. He stopped walking, obviously a little nervous.

"Bullshit!" she yelled back.

"I swear," he insisted. "Just calm down."

"Why were you trying to get into my car?" she asked.

"My car slid off the road," he explained. "When I stopped, I saw your car. I got out to make sure you were okay."

He didn't seem to be lying to her.

"Can you please put the knife away," he said. "I swear, I was just trying to help."

Taylor closed the blade slowly and pushed it into her pocket.

"Did your car slide too?" he asked, relaxing a little.

She shook her head, still not sure if she trusted him.

He seemed to be waiting for an explanation.

She shrugged, "It just died. I was just barely able to get it over here before it stopped. I figured I'd just wait out the rain and then figure things out from there. I fell asleep."

"Have you been having a lot of trouble with it lately?" he asked, stepping a little closer to her.

She took a step back, "I've had problems with it since the day I got it. I cant really afford to get it fixed."

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling herself start to shiver. It was starting to get windy.

"Where are you headed?" he asked.

"Why?" she eyed him suspiciously.

He smiled, "Look, you're obviously tired and edgy, if you want, maybe I could give you a ride."

She shook her head, "I don't think so."

"It'd be better than sleeping in the backseat of a car that more than likely cant be fixed," he said. "I'm going to Chicago."

"That's where I was going," Taylor said.

"Well do you want a ride then?" he asked.

"Look, if you think you can give me a ride and I'll be so grateful I'll have sex with you or something-"

"I'm not looking for sex," he insisted, putting his hands up again. "I just wanna help you out."

Taylor looked him over, trying to gauge how honest he was. She stared straight into his clear, and seemingly friendly blue eyes. To her surprise, he looked sincere.

"Why would you do that?" she asked. "You don't even know me."

She wasn't sure if she was desperate enough to take a ride from a stranger but she was getting really cold and he was right, her car was probably beyond repair.

"I don't have to know you," he shrugged. "You look like you could use some help and at the moment, I'm in the position to offer it, so I'm offering."

"Just a ride...no strings?" she asked.

He shook his head, "You have my word."

She sighed, knowing that there really wasn't much of a choice. She stepped closer to the car, "Okay, I'll go with you...But I'm warning you, I've had to fight my way out of tons of situations and if you try something funny I won't hesitate to beat your ass."

He laughed a little, "I'll consider myself warned."

She got her purse and keys and emptied everything out of the glove compartment, loading it all into her purse. She unlocked the trunk and got the two duffel bags she'd filled with clothes. He tried to take one but she held them tightly, "No thanks, I've got it."

-----------------------------

**Well...What do we think?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Once again, thank you for the reviews, I love the story so I'm glad you're enjoying it too. Read, Enjoy, & Review! I love knowing what you all think.**

**Chapter 6... **

"You just walked off?" Jason stared at his friend.

"I had a phone call," Adam shrugged.

"So what?" Jason shrugged. "Viveca wanted to have a serious discussion."

"A discussion that I _don't_ want to have," Adam sighed.

"Because you're crazy," Jason pointed. "You like her, she likes you...what's the problem?"

"Trust me, I have a reason for avoiding this," Adam insisted.

"I'd like to know what it is," Jason said. "Because this doesn't make sense to me."

"It makes sense to me," Adam said. "That's what matters."

-----------------------------

"So was I right?" Jeff asked as he and Viveca walked to the bar.

"Right about what?" she asked.

"Did dancing with me cheer you up?" he asked.

She laughed, rolling her eyes a little.

"I don't hear you saying no," he smirked.

"Dancing helped a little," she admitted. "I'm not sure if it was dancing with _you_ that helped but I feel better."

"Well, as long as you feel better," he smiled.

She nodded, "I do...Thanks."

"Anytime."

**-----------------------------**

Chris's new acquaintance had fallen asleep within five minutes of being in the car. Even in sleep, a state where one should be completely relaxed, she seemed..tense. She was holding on to her bag tightly, her head just barely tilted toward the window. Without her eyeing him suspiciously, Chris finally got a chance to look at her. She looked about 19 or 20. He remembered from when they were standing outside the car that she was about 5'6" or 5'7". She had blonde hair that flowed a few inches past her shoulders and if memory served she had blue eyes. He focused his gaze back on the road but he could hear her begin to move beside him. She seemed to be struggling with something. He considered waking her up but thought better of it. He didn't want her hitting him. After a few minutes, he didn't hear her moving anymore. He looked over at her and could see a tear escape from her lashes and trail over her cheek, dissolving before it reached her chin. Chris felt sorry for this young stranger. She seemed to be running from something. He wondered if there was some way that he could help. Something told him that she wouldn't let him. He saw a sign, telling him that he was nearing Chicago. He was relieved, his eyes were starting to get tired. He heard movement again and looked over to see the blonde's eyes fluttering open. He was right, they were blue. She looked around for a second, seeming as if she'd forgotten where she was.

"You alright?" he asked.

She looked at him sleepily for a second before nodding, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He nodded, looking back to the road.

"Listen," she sighed. "I want to apologize for the way I acted earlier. I've been kind of..on edge lately."

"It's okay," he assured her. "I figured you were a little stressed."

She nodded.

"So, why were you on your way to Chicago?" he asked, trying to make conversation. He was getting sleepy and talking would keep him up.

"You really wanna know?" she asked. The corner of her mouth twitched up in the closest thing to a smile he'd seen since he met her.

"Yes, really," he nodded.

"I needed to get away," she sighed. "So I pulled out this map and I taped it on the wall and I took a dart, closed my eyes, and threw it. It landed on Chicago."

"Really?" he asked, a little surprised.

She nodded, "Yeah, really."

"So, if I ask you another question, do you promise not to get all cranky again?" he smirked.

"Depends," she said, the near-smile fading quickly. "What's the question?"

"What's your name?" he asked.

She looked surprised, obviously expecting something else.

"I guess I can remain calm for that," she said. "But you go first."

"Chris," he said. "Chris Irvine."

"Well Chris Irvine," she said. "I'm Taylor Vogle."

"It's nice to meet you Ms. Vogle," he smiled. "So, where are you headed once we get to Chi-town? Do you have a reservation somewhere?"

"No," she laughed, obviously amused by his suggestion. "I have to find a job and a place to stay. You can drop me off anywhere within city limits."

The idea of abandoning her on some random street corner in Chicago did not seem remotely appealing to Chris. He just wasn't that guy.

"I cant just drop you somewhere," he said.

"Sure you can," she said, an embittered smile touching her lips. "Trust me, I've become accustomed to abandonment."

"Well I'm not accustom to abandoning people," he said. "You can come to the hotel with me. I'll get you a room. We'll figure things out from there."

-----------------------------

"Have you seen John?" Portia asked, walking over to the table where Mark and Jessica were once again downing tequila shots.

Jessica put down her shot glass, turning to Portia, "Well hello to you too Sunshine."

Portia rolled her eyes. She and Jessica had never gotten along and they never would. She certainly wasn't in the mood for one of their arguments. She just wanted her question answered.

"Where's John?"

"He and Cory went upstairs," Jessica answered.

"Why would he go upstairs with _her_?" Portia laughed.

Jessica stood up, her eyes narrowing, "Watch your tone when you talk about my sister."

Hunter stood up, putting a hand on Jessica's shoulder.

"Look, calm down," Portia put her hands up. "I just didn't think they knew each other well."

"Oh they do," Jessica smirked. "They're probably upstairs 'getting to know each other' right now."

Portia made a face, "That's not even remotely funny."

"I'm not joking," Jessica said. "Haven't you heard the rumor?"

"What rumor?" Portia asked.

"Well, she wont tell me one way or another but from what I hear, they're going out," Jessica smiled.

"No way," Portia shook her head.

"Why don't you go upstairs and see for yourself?" Jessica suggested as Mark poured her another shot and placed it in front of her, letting her know her break was over.

"I will," Portia said. "I'm sure you're wrong."

Jessica shrugged, "I guess we'll see."

**-----------------------------**

"Well, I guess if we're going to pretend we're dating, we should probably know some things about each other," Cory sighed as she and John walked into her hotel room. They had decided to leave the bar early to go over the details of their 'plan'.

"That might be a good idea," John nodded, sitting down on the couch. Cory picked up a bag, hefting it up onto her beg. She unzipped it and pulled out a tank top and a pair of shorts, walking into the bathroom. She still couldn't believe that she was going through with this.

"First off," Cory talked through the door, taking off her shirt and skirt. "How long have we been dating?"

"Only a few weeks," John answered. "We need to keep it realistic. Portia took a week off a little over a month ago. We can say during that time, you came to visit Jessie and that's how we hooked up."

"Makes sense," Cory said, stepping into her shorts and then pulling her tank top on.

"Well, I can think of one thing I know about you," John said.

"What's that?" she laughed, opening the bathroom door and walking around the corner.

"You have great taste in panties," he said, standing in front of her open luggage, holding up a red lace pair.

"Give me those!" she rushed over, snatching them out of his hand. "Being my pretend boyfriend does _not_ give you the right to touch my underwear."

-----------------------------

"What? I can only touch your _pretend_ underwear?" John smirked, walking back to the couch and sitting down.

Cory shook her head, returning her panties to her bag and zipping it up, then pushing it onto the floor. She laid on her bed, her head hanging over the side. They sat in silence for a little while, both trying to think of what they needed to know.

"When's your birthday?" he asked.

"April 23rd," he answered. "When's yours?"

"Halloween," she answered.

"That explains some things," he smiled.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Asshole."

"Is that any way to talk to your man?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes, "Think of another question."

"Doesn't that make you dizzy?" he asked, referring to her awkward position.

"No," she shook her head. "Sometimes it helps me think."

He was about to comment on how weird that was when her cell phone rang. She sat up, picking it up.

-----------------------------

"Yes Jessica?"

Jessica didn't say anything at first, she wasn't expecting Cory to answer her phone so quickly.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Your name's in the phone drunkie," Cory laughed. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to give you and Johnny Boy a heads up that the car is on it's way back to the shop," Jessica whispered, trying not to laugh.

"Jessie, what the hell are you talking about?" Cory laughed. "Better question: How much tequila have you had?"

"More than enough," Jessica giggled. "But really..Portia is coming up to see you guys."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know but I thought you should be prepared," she said. "Now I gotta go finish my drink. Love you, bye."

-----------------------------

"Portia's coming up here," Cory closed her phone, turning back to John. His relaxed expression immediately changed.

"Why?" he asked.

"I don't kn-"

Before they could discuss a plan, loud, insistent knocking began on the door.

Cory looked at the door, not sure what to do. Then, she felt John grab her hand and pull her into the bathroom. He closed the door behind them.

Cory looked around, "Why are we in the bathroom?"

"Because I thought she might melt and slide under the door," he gave her a look.

She glared at him, not enjoying his sarcastic tone.

"She wont be able to hear us talking in here," he said.

"But she knows we're up here," she said. "We've gotta answer the door eventually. We need some sort of a plan."

"Like what?" he asked.

"I don't know!" she whispered. "I figured lying would be your area."

He glared at her, "Well maybe you should hang upside down on the shower curtain rod to help you think Batgirl," he countered.

"I _really_ don't like you," she glared.

The knocking started again.

"Well you're gonna have to put that aside for the time being," he said. "Because the devil is out there and she wants to talk."

"Okay," Cory nodded, knowing he was right. "I've got a plan. Now take off your shirt."

John gave her a look and she put a hand over his mouth, "Just do it."

-----------------------------

Portia crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes as she waited at Cory's door. She'd been standing there for about 7 minutes and no one was coming to open it. She knew Jessica was playing a stupid trick on her. There was no way John would be up there with Cory. Why would he bother with someone like that after having someone like Portia? She was about to leave, satisfied that Jessica was a liar, when the door opened. Portia could hear a shower running and when she turned around, she saw Cory standing in the doorway, Her body only covered by the towel she had wrapped around herself. Her long thick hair was soaking wet.

"Hi," the brunette smiled, sounding a little out of breath.

Portia eyed her suspiciously. She already knew the answer to her question but she thought she would ask anyway, "Is John here?"

Cory looked a little surprised, "Well umm.."

"Somebody looking for me?" John sauntered up, running a hand over his wet hair. He was also clad only in a towel, it was wrapped around his waist. He looked surprised when he saw Portia, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Portia said, shocked. So it was true, he was hooking up with the new girl.

"Oh come on now Portia," John smirked, putting an arm around Cory, placing a kiss on her shoulder. "I'm sure you can figure out what we were doing."

Portia knew she had a disgusted look on her face and she didn't bother to hide it.

"Did you need something?" Cory asked, leaning back against John.

Portia couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'm gonna take that as a no," John said, putting his hand on the doorknob. "If you'll excuse us, we're gonna get back to what we were doing. Right baby?"

Cory smiled, walking back into the room.

"Bye Portia," the other woman said.

Portia couldn't see her any more and that was probably good because if she could, she might have slapped her.

"Hurry up babe," Cory called.

Then, to add insult to injury, Portia saw Cory's towel coming at John. John caught it, smiling and staring behind him, presumably at Cory. He looked at Portia, "I'll see you tomorrow."

He looked over his shoulder again, "Or maybe the day after that."

Before she could say anything else, the door closed in her face.

-----------------------------

"Okay darlin'," Mark said as he reached the door to Dawn's room. "This is your stop."

She had gotten so drunk she could barely walk so Mark picked her up and carried her. He wasn't completely sober himself but he was definitely in better shape than her.

"Already?" she hiccuped.

He nodded, "Already...You know where your room key is?"

She nodded, looking at him with unfocused eyes. He got the feeling that there were probably three of him hovering in front of her.

"Can you tell me where it is?" he asked.

She handed him her purse, leaning her head against the wall, "I don't feel so good."

"Well once you get inside, I'll go get you some crackers or something," he offered, fishing through her purse for the key. Finally, he found it and opened the door. He turned around just in time to catch her before she lost her balance and fell flat on her ass.

He laughed, lifting her up again. He carried her into the room and deposited her on the bed. He turned around to turn on the light, "What do you want to eat?"

He didn't hear a response. He turned to ask her again, stopping when he saw that she was out cold. He sighed, covering her up with the blanket, then walking over to the couch and making himself comfortable. He didn't want to leave her alone so he loaded up a few pillows behind his back and turned the TV on.

_She better appreciate this in the morning..._

-----------------------------

Cory and John waited until they couldn't hear Portia's footsteps in the hall anymore. Once she was gone Cory gave him a look.

"What?" he asked, taking off his towel and unrolling his pant legs.

"That," she pointed to the spot on her shoulder that he'd kissed. "That was too much."

John shrugged, "I was trying to make it realistic."

She shook her head, pulling the straps of her bra and tank top back up, "Do you think she really thought I was naked?"

"Your towel covered everything. You should've seen her face when you threw it to me," John laughed. "It was priceless."

"You know," she smiled, pulling up her wet hair. "I'd say we did a pretty good job."

He nodded, "Yeah, we did."

-----------------------------

Chris dropped his bags in front of the room they'd been given. He tried to get Taylor her own room but the entire hotel was booked. He unlocked the door and then held it open for her. She was being quiet again. She'd put up a bit of an argument in the lobby but it hadn't taken as much as he thought it would to get her to agree to share his room. She walked into the room, looking around. He followed, closing the door behind them and turning on the light.

"You can have the bed," he offered. "I'll just take the couch."

"No I'll take the c-"

"The couch is mine," Chris insisted. "And don't you try to take it from me."

She nodded, dropping her bags on the bed.

"That was supposed to make you laugh," he smirked, putting his bags down beside the couch.

She looked over her shoulder at him, trying for a smile, "I'll remember that next time."

She got a few things out of her bag and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. While she was in there, Chris changed into shorts and a t-shirt. He usually slept only in his boxers but he figured he'd cover up to make Taylor more comfortable. He didn't want her thinking he expected anything from her. After a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom in a gray t-shirt and shorts. She'd pulled her blonde waves up into a ponytail and she was carrying a cd player and some headphones.

She sat down on the bed while he got the couch ready with the quilt and pillows the hotel had provided them.

He laid down, settling in when he noticed that she was still sitting up. She was looking down at her hands.

Chris sat up, looking at her, "Are you okay?"

"Look," she sighed. "I don't have much money so I wont be able to pay you for the ride and for the hotel room until I get a job. I promise I-"

"Taylor," he put a hand up. "Don't worry about any of that right now. I think we both need a good night's sleep. We'll figure out everything in the morning."

She looked confused but she nodded. He turned out the light, settling into the couch and praying he didn't wake up sore from the uncomfortable position.

-----------------------------

Taylor put her head phones and and pressed play. She laid down, wrapping herself tightly in the covers, enjoying finally putting her head down. She was exhausted. The past week had been hectic. And now she was in a hotel room with a complete stranger. For some reason, she didn't feel threatened. She wasn't exactly sure why Chris was being so nice to her but she didn't get a feeling that she was going to regret meeting him. Still, she couldn't rely on this guy. She needed to figure out some sort of a plan now that she was in a new city. She wasn't sure how she was going to do that with no car and nothing but 400 dollars to her name but she would figure out a way. She didn't really have a choice.

-----------------------------


	6. Chapter 6

**Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 7...  
**

The Next Morning...

Viveca looked at the row of outfits she'd laid out on her bed. Then, she looked over at Jessica who was sitting in jeans and a Metallica t-shirt, flipping through a magazine.

"How did you get ready so fast?" Viveca asked. Jessica had called to wake her up at 10 and she showed up at her room at 10:45. Viveca had just gotten out of the shower.

"I took a quick shower and put clothes on like a normal person," Jessica smirked. "We're just going to breakfast."

"I know," Viveca insisted. "Just because I'm being careful doesn't mean I'm not a normal person."

"No, the fact that you're crazy is what means you're not a normal person," Jessica smiled.

"I love you too Jessica," Viveca made a face at her friend.

"Oh you know I love you," Jessica laughed. "Now hurry up so we can go."

"I'm trying, I'm trying," Viveca said, deciding on an outfit. She picked it up, carrying it into the bathroom with her. "So is Hunter gonna be there?"

"Of course he is," Jessica answered, nonchalant.

Viveca smiled at herself in the mirror, shaking her head. It was almost cute how oblivious Jessica was.

"So...what's going on with you two?" Viveca asked, changing into her clothes.

"Who?" Jessica continued flipping through the magazine.

"You and Hunter," Viveca clarified.

"Nothing," Jessica laughed. "Why?"

"Oh come on Jess," Viveca walked out of the bathroom. "You _obviously_ like each other."

"Hunter's like my best friend," Jessica said. "Of course I like him."

"Not like _that_," Viveca shook her head, running a brush through her hair. "I mean you like him as in you wanna get busy with him."

"_Get busy_?" Jessica smirked. "Is this 1995?"

Viveca gave her a look.

"Hunter is attractive," Jessica said, matter-of-factly. "Very attractive."

"I _knew_ it!" Viveca exclaimed.

"Calm down there skipper," Jessica laughed. "Just because I think he's good looking doesn't mean I'm gonna jump on him."

"You admitted he's hot," Viveca said. "The next step is admitting you like him, which we _all_ know you do...And then after that comes the sex."

"He's cute, I like him, then sex?" Jessica laughed. "I think you may be missing some steps there V."

-----------------------------

John stepped out of the bathroom after his shower, running a towel over his short hair. He was still a little tired but the hot water woke him up some. For some reason after coming back from Cory's room the night before, he had trouble falling asleep. Maybe it was because he was getting himself into something crazy. Jessica called and woke him up at 10 to invite him to breakfast. She was getting together the few people who knew about he and Cory's plan. The idea was for them to watch John and Cory together and give them tips on acting like a believable couple. He wasn't sure how well they could pull it off but it was worth a shot. Anything was worth it if it meant getting Portia to leave him alone.

He pulled his suitcase up onto his bed, unzipping it. Just before he could open it, he heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" he called.

"Your girlfriend, open the door," Cory answered.

John walked over to the door, making sure his towel was covering everything. Once he was sure all the goods were under wraps, he opened the door, "What's up?"

"Shouldn't you be ready by now?" she asked, walking into the room. She was all set to go in an NYU hooded sweatshirt, a short denim skirt and black, flat heeled boots.

"I will be in a minute," John shrugged. "Don't start complaining first thing in the morning. You should be glad I took a shower."

"I'm sure I am," she said, sitting down on the couch and crossing her legs.

"You look good," he smirked at her.

"You look...wet," she responded as he walked into the bathroom.

"Hey, I was trying to compliment you," he said through the door. "You're supposed to be my girlfriend. I figure I have to tell you you look nice every once in a while."

-----------------------------

"Just get ready," Cory said, walking over to his suitcase and flipping it open. "That'll make me plenty happy."

She laughed a little when she saw the state of his belongings. The suitcase was jammed with clothes, socks, boxers, jeans, nothing in any kind of order.

"Ever hear of folding?" she asked.

He walked out of the bathroom in a pair of jeans and nothing else, toothbrush hanging out of his mouth, "I've heard of it, but I'm not a big fan."

"Obviously," she said. "What are you gonna wear?"

He shrugged, walking back into the bathroom to finish what he was doing.

Cory pulled out a few things. Two t-shirts, a football jersey, another t-shirt, a basketball jersey, another football jersey.

"Do you own _anything_ other than jerseys and t-shirts?" she asked.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" he walked out of the bathroom again, sans toothbrush.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "I guess that look works on you."

"Was that a compliment?" he smirked.

"No," she shook her head, pulling out a t-shirt and tossing it at him. "Wear that one."

"Oh now you're telling me what to wear?" he laughed.

"Just put it on so we can get this over with," she requested, folding up the items she'd taken out of his back and placing them back into the suitcase neatly as he pulled on the shirt then put on a pair of socks and shoes.

"Alright," he stood up. "Ready to do this?"

She rolled her eyes, standing up and walking toward the door, "Do we have a choice?"

-----------------------------

Taylor walked out of the bathroom after showering and putting on some jeans and a t-shirt. Chris was sitting in front of the couch, watching the news.

"You hungry?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I could eat I guess."

"Wanna go get something to eat?" he asked, standing up and picking up his keys. He had gotten up and dressed about an hour before her.

"I don't know," Taylor said. "I should probably start looking for a-"

"Taylor, this is your first day here, give yourself at least a few hours," Chris suggested.

Taylor knew that she really needed to focus on getting a job and a place to say but she had to admit, she was hungry and she didn't mind Chris's company.

"Okay," she sighed, picking up her gym shoes. "Breakfast, but then we part ways."

Chris put his wallet in his pocket, walking toward the door, "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves.

-----------------------------

"I don't know why we bothered to show up on time," Adam said, looking down at his watch. "With Viveca and Dawn coming, we'll probably be eating dinner instead of breakfast."

Hunter laughed, "Yeah well, I think Jessie went to get Viveca to keep her on track," Hunter said.

"That was probably a good idea," Adam nodded. "Speaking of the lovely Ms. Farrell..."

"Don't start," Hunter warned his friend. Adam had been pushing him to talk about Jessica for weeks.

"Come on man," Adam said. "I don't get it. You like her, She seems to like you..What's the problem?"

"We tried dating once," Hunter reminded him. "It didn't work out. Jessica's great we just...It didn't work."

Pretty much everyone in the company had heard the tale of Hunter and Jessica's disastrous first date. Everything that could go wrong went wrong, right down to Hunter accidentally leaving his wallet at the hotel and Jessica's shoe breaking while they walked out of the restaurant..

"That was 2 years ago," Adam said. "That barely even counts."

A part of Hunter agreed with Adam. He and Jessica were much more comfortable with each other now than they were then and the results of a date would almost certainly be different. But after their first had gone so badly, they made an agreement that they would _never_ try it again.

"Jessica's great, and from what Viveca tells me, she likes you," Adam said. "You'd be dumb not to go for it."

"Really?" Hunter asked, skeptically. "Viveca told you something?"

"Well that all depends," Adam smiled, obviously growing amused. "Are you admitting you care?"

Hunter sighed, rolling his eyes, "Yes I care, okay, what did she say?"

"She says I'm supposed to find out what you think about Jessie, so let's have it," Adam said. "What exactly do you like about her?"

Hunter shook his head, "No way. I'm not talking about this with you."

"Come on, we're friends," Adam said. "We can talk about this. And think about it..You tell me, I tell Viveca, Viveca tells Jessica...imagine the possibilities. I'm just looking out for you here."

Hunter sighed. For some reason he was trusting Adam. Probably because he could beat his ass if Adam screwed him over. "You wanna know what I like about her?"

Adam nodded.

"Well, for one, she's gorgeous," Hunter said.

"Cant disagree with that," Adam nodded.

"And she's one of the funniest people I know," Hunter shrugged.

"Not funnier than me I hope," Adam said. "That would hurt me deeply."

Hunter rolled his eyes, "Look I cant just sit here and list everything."

"Give me one more," Adam suggested.

"She's got the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen," Hunter admitted, feeling like an idiot the second the words escaped him. All of a sudden he was talking as if he was in a romance novel.

"I'm sure she'll be glad you think so."

Hunter hung his head when he heard Viveca's voice behind him. He could only hope that Jessica wasn't with her. He looked over his shoulder, relieved when he saw Viveca standing alone.

"Hey, when did you get here?" Adam asked.

"Somewhere around the most gorgeous eyes Hunter's ever seen," Viveca answered. "Don't worry, she's not here yet. She went to go get Dawn so she should be here soon. She said we should just get a table so everyone can sit once they get here."

-----------------------------

_A few minutes later..._

Adam watched Viveca as they walked toward the table. He still felt guilty about avoiding her the other night but he knew what she wanted to talk about. They'd been good friends for a long time. He loved being around her, loved talking to her, he loved looking at her. She was beautiful, smart, exactly his type. He couldn't deny that there was an attraction between them, there always had been, but there was something, or rather someone, that kept him from acting on it. Jeff Hardy. Jeff was one of Adam's closest friends in the world and he was head over heels for Viveca. As long as Jeff was interested, Adam was staying away.

-----------------------------

"So," Chris took a break from his plate to look up at Taylor. She was finishing her second glass of orange juice. During their breakfast, he felt like he talked non-stop. He talked about his career, his parents, hockey, anything he could think of. Taylor seemed to be enjoying the conversation but she didn't go out of her way to throw in her own two cents. She didn't seem to like to talk about herself very much. Chris still didn't understand it. She seemed like she had a pretty good head on her shoulders. She was young and obviously determined. What was she doing driving to Chicago in a broken down car with no money?

"So..what?" she said, picking at a piece of bacon.

"What's your plan?" Chris asked. "I know you said you wanna get a job and find a place to stay but..how are you gonna do that?"

"I'll start filling out applications today," she answered.

"Yeah but...you cant find a place to stay without money and you need a job to get money but you cant get a job without a place to stay or at least a phone," Chris said. "What are you gonna do?"

Chris hoped he didn't sound insulting. He didn't want to upset her or criticize. He wasn't sure why yet but he just..cared.

She was quiet for a few seconds, then looked into his eyes and, with complete sincerity, said, "I don't know. But I had to do something."

He wanted to ask what she meant by that but it wasn't likely that she would tell him. He wanted to figure out something. Some way to help her. He was thinking about leaving the diner and leaving Chicago, leaving her on her own with nothing, and he just didn't feel right about it. Then, it dawned on him.

"Maybe I can help," he smiled.

"You've done _more_ than enough," Taylor said.

"All I did was give you a ride," Chris shrugged.

"And a hotel room for the night," Taylor said. "That's plenty."

"What if I could get you a job?" he asked.

She stared at him, confused, "What?"

"I could get you a job," he said. "You could work with me."

"Chris, you're a _wrestler_," she reminded him.

"I know that but there's a lot of jobs in the WWE besides being a wrestler," Chris said. "There's..personal assistants, production, ring crew, the list goes on."

"I don't think so," she shook her head. "I highl doubt I'm qualified for any of that."

"Come to the show with me," he suggested. "At least let me _try_ to help."

She looked down at her plate and then back up at him, "_Maybe_."

-----------------------------

John and Cory walked into the restaurant together, about 2 feet apart. In the car they'd argued about his driving, her ability to give directions, and where to park. It was obvious that if this plan was going to be successful, they would need a lot of help. They walked to the table where their friends were already seated and Cory rolled her eyes when she saw that there were only two empty seats left, right next to each other. She gave Mark a quick hug, as she usually did when she saw him.

"Don't you have any longer skirts?" he asked, giving the hem of her skirt a disapproving look.

"Oh stop," she rolled her eyes. She was about to sit down but Mark stopped her, giving John a pointed look.

"_What_?" John asked, obviously confused.

"Pull her chair out," Mark advised, sounding like he was already growing tired of this.

John begrudgingly pulled her chair out and Cory sat down, lurching forward as John shoved her chair back in.

She glared at him as he sat down next to her, "Asshole."

He blew her a kiss and she kicked his chair.

"Children please," Dawn laughed.

"Can I get tequila this early?" Jessica stared at the menu.

"No," Hunter laughed, pushing a glass of water toward her.

The waitress came around and everyone ordered. Cory and John seemed to shoot angry looks at each other whenever they got the chance.

"Guys, this isn't gonna work when you're acting like you're gonna kill each other," Dawn said.

"I'm not gonna kill her," John said.

"He wont have a chance if I kill him first," Cory smiled.

"I have an idea," Jessica said. "John, at least put your arm on the back of her chair."

"Why?" Cory and John asked in unison.

"Oh just do it," Viveca laughed.

Mark used his foot to push Cory's chair a few inches closer to John's. John looked away, putting his arm on the back of her chair. After a few minutes of eating, Cory and John seemed to relax a little. Very little.

"You two are never gonna pull this off," Adam shook his head.

"Sure they will," Jessica said. "You two just listen to us. We'll have you looking like a real couple in no time."

-----------------------------


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay peeps, here's another chapter for ya. If you enjoy it, please let me know. I'm in a fantastic mood with the Superbowl only days away so there _may_ be another chapter up tonight...that is, if you want one...Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 7...**

"Knock, knock."

Cory jumped, nearly burning herself with her curling iron when she heard Randy enter the dressing room she was sharing with Stacy. She unraveled her hair from it and turned it off, setting it down on the counter.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he smirked.

"I'm sure you didn't," she said, running a hand through her hair, not turning to face him yet. She could see him in the mirror, staring at her ass. She rolled her eyes, turning around, "Did you need something?"

"No," he shook his head, stepping closer to her.

She arched a brow, waiting for him to explain his presence, backing up until she was against the counter.

He smiled, stopping only a few inches in front of her, "I just wanted to see if you needed any help."

"I think I've got everything under control," Cory said, annoyed at Randy's gaze focused on her chest.

"You sure?" he asked. "I'd be more than willing to help you get dressed."

"She looks dressed to me."

Cory looked over Randy's shoulder and found herself surprisingly relieved at the sight of John Cena. Randy turned around and Cory took the opportunity to slide out from between him and the counter.

"And if she needs any help," John walked over to her, putting an arm around her waist. "I'll be the one to handle that."

"Don't get all territorial John," Randy laughed. "Cory and I were just joking around."

Cory was almost amused at Randy's attempt to smooth things over.

"Well, pardon the interruption but we need a few minutes alone," John said.

Randy walked toward the door, "Cory, meet the rest of us in Ric's dressing room when you get a chance so we can go over some things."

Cory nodded and Randy left. Once they were sure he was gone, Cory started laughing, moving away from John.

"How long was he in here?" John asked.

"Not very long," Cory shrugged. "But I'm glad you came in when you did."

"Are you?" John smirked.

"Oh shutup," she rolled her eyes. She turned, taking a quick look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black blazer that revealed some of her white lace bra and a pale pink miniskirt. She could swear she saw John checking her out in the mirror but when she looked over her shoulder, he looked away quickly.

"So, did you have a reason for coming in here or did your spidey sense tell you I needed help?" she asked, picking up her lip gloss.

"I was walking by and I heard Randy's voice," he explained. "You seen Portia yet?"

"Oh yeah," Cory nodded. "When I got here with Jesse and Dawn, she was staring a hole through me."

"Sounds like her," John laughed.

"I wonder how she got so crazy over someone like you," she smirked.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" he shook a finger at her.

She smiled sweetly at him.

He started toward the door, "You know, I've been wondering the same thing about Randy."

-----------------------------

"Have either of you seen Rene?"

Adam looked up to see Viveca leaning into he and Jason's dressing room. As usual, she looked amazing. She was wearing a short, black strapless dress and she had a black beret on top of her long, dark waves.

"You're looking very French today," Jason smirked.

She laughed, rolling her eyes, "Thanks Jay."

"I haven't seen him," Jason shook his head.

"I need to talk to him about his match tonight," she explained. "Adam?"

"Huh?" Adam snapped out of it. He had been staring at her since she came in.

"Have you seen Rene?" Viveca asked.

"Yeah," Adam nodded. "He was talking to Devon a few minutes ago by the catering area."

"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

As she left the room, Adam felt something hit the side of his face. He looked down to see a towel on his lap and then over at Jason, who was smiling at him.

"It's to wipe up your drool," Jay explained.

"Shutup," Adam pointed.

"Dude, could you be more obvious?" Jason laughed.

"Look, I told you, it's not gonna happen," Adam said.

"I know, I know, because of Jeff," Jason said. "I'm just saying you could stand to hide your attraction a little better if you're not gonna let anything happen."

Adam rolled his eyes, "I'll work on it."

-----------------------------

Taylor wrang her hands nervously as she followed Chris down the hall in the arena. Almost everyone she'd seen so far towered over her. She got the impression that they were looking for someone by the way Chris was rushing but he hadn't told her who. She had a feeling that his plan to find her a job wasn't going to work but she had decided to humor him and come along. By the end of the night, she was sure she'd be on her own again.

"There she is," Chris said, taking Taylor's hand, making her walk a little faster.

"Who?" Taylor asked, confused.

"Dawn!" Chris called down the hall. "Hey Dawn!"

Taylor saw who he was talking to when a green eyed brunette in an _incredibly_ short blue dress walked toward them.

"Hey," she smiled warmly. "What's up?"

"Dawn, I want you to meet a friend of mine," Chris explained. "This is Taylor Vogle. Taylor, this is Dawn MArie."

"Nice to meet you," Dawn extended her hand.

Taylor shook it, "Nice to meet you too."

"Listen, Dawn, I'm supposed to go talk to Shane about something," Chris said. "Do you think you could maybe show Taylor around or something?"

"Do I look like a welcome wagon to you?" Dawn said, looking annoyed.

Taylor suddenly felt tense.

Dawn laughed, "I'm kidding, of course I can," the brunette's warm smile returned, putting Taylor at ease.

"Thanks," Chris said. "I'll be right back."

In a flash, Chris was gone and Taylor was alone with a stranger.

"So," Dawn smiled. "How do you know Chris?"

"Well, I don't really," Taylor admitted.

Dawn looked a little confused.

"He helped me out last night," Taylor explained. "My car was broken down on the side of the road and he stopped to see if I was okay. Now he's refusing to let me out of his sight until he knows I'll be safe or something like that."

"That sounds like Chris," Dawn nodded. "Well I'm glad he could help you out. Come on, I'll introduce you to a few people."

Over the course of the next few minutes, Taylor was introduced to Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels, and Steve Austin. She didn't really know who any of them were but something told her this was a pretty big deal. What she did know was that they were all very nice.

"Cory come here," Dawn waved to another very pretty brunette who was talking to an older man wearing a glittering robe. The brunette said something in parting to the man before walking toward them.

"Taylor, this is my best friend, Cory," Dawn smiled. "Cory, this is Taylor."

"Hi Taylor," Cory shook her hand. "Are you new here?"

"Oh no," Taylor shook her head. "I highly doubt I have the legs it takes to work here."

Cory laughed, looking down at her short skirt, then back at Taylor, "Oh I'm sure you do."

"She's here with Chris Irvine," Dawn explained.

Cory looked intrigued.

"Not like that," Taylor shook her head.

"Of course not."

Taylor heard a voice over her shoulder and turned to see yet another good looking woman. This one had black hair and brown eyes. Taylor didn't get the same good feeling from this woman that she did from Dawn and Cory.

"Looks like Chris was out picking up strays," she smirked.

Taylor was about to say something but Cory beat her to it, "Portia, back off."

"Don't make us go get the bug spray," Dawn crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't believe I was talking to either of you," Portia smirked.

"But I'm talking to you," Cory said, stepping in front of the other woman. "Leave her alone."

Portia flipped her hair and walked away, mumbling something Taylor couldn't understand.

She wasn't thinking about Portia though. She was just surprised that Dawn and Cory had taken up for her the way they did.

"Don't mind Portia," Dawn said. "She's just the devil."

"She is," Cory nodded.

Taylor laughed, "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"So, where's your boyfriend?" Dawn asked, putting her arm around Cory's shoulders.

"My what?" Cory stared.She thought about the question for a second and then a knowing expression finally appeared on her face, "_Ohh,_ right, my boyfriend..He's uh...hell, I don't know where he is. I'm not his keeper."

"Cory's seeing John Cena," Dawn explained.

"Lucky me," Cory rolled her eyes.

Taylor didn't know who John Cena was but from Cory's reaction at the mention of his name, they must have an interesting relationship.

"Anyway Taylor, tell us about you."

-----------------------------

"Chris, you know full well that I cant just give your friend a job," Shane shook his head.

"Why not?" Chris asked. "I'm vouching for her."

"She has no qualifications," Shane said. "You said she was a waitress and a receptionist in a doctor's office. What does that have to do with _anything_ around here?"

Chris shrugged, "I don't know. I'm sure there's something."

"There's not," Shane shook his head. "I'm sure she's a nice girl and if you're this enthralled she's probably quite a looker-"

"Shane, this isn't about how she looks," Chris insisted.

Shane gave him a look, "You mean to tell me she's not good looking?"

Chris rolled his eyes, growing frustrated. Yes Taylor was pretty, very pretty but this had nothing to do with her looks. In fact until Shane mentioned it, he hadn't really thought about that.

"She's pretty, yeah," Chris nodded. "But I'd ask you this even if she was a _troll_, okay? She needs my help."

"Did she ask for your help?" Shane asked.

"Not really," Chris answered. "But I wanna help her. I just..I don't know, I have this weird feeling."

"What kind of a feeling?" Shane asked.

Chris shook his head, "I don't know. It's not important. Look, can you help me out?"

"No," Shane shook his head.

Chris sighed.

"I want to," Shane admitted. "But my father would never go for it. You know that."

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Chris asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Maybe she could be a personal assistant," Shane said. "But _you_ would have to convince someone to hire her."

"Who needs a personal assistant?" Chris thought out loud.

Shane shrugged, "Someone high maintenance."

Chris smiled, he knew just the person.

-----------------------------

"So I was talking to Dawn earlier," Glenn said, sitting on the couch in he and Mark's dressing room.

"And?" Mark waited for him to continue.

"And she told me how you stayed with her the other night," Glenn said.

"And?"

"And I was wondering what that was about," Glenn said.

"She was drunk, I didn't think she should be by herself," Mark shrugged.

"You don't stay with me when I'm drunk," Glenn laughed.

"You can handle your liquor," Mark said. "Look, I know where you're going with this. And believe me, I'd love for it to mean something more, but it doesn't. I had my chances with Dawn. It didn't work out. It's not gonna happen again."

"But not because you don't want it to?"

"No," Mark shook his head. "Not because I don't want it to."

"Maybe her mind will change," Glenn shrugged. "You never know."

"Trust me," Mark sighed. "I know."

-----------------------------

Hunter walked into Cory and Stacy's dressing room, knowing that was where he would find Jessica. She was assigned to share a room with Portia and he knew that wouldn't go over well. Sure enough, there she was, dressed for the show in a Dudleyville t-shirt and a camoflouge print skirt. That night, Devon had a match with Rene Dupree which meant that Jessica and Viveca would both be at ringside.

She smiled when she saw him, "Hey, what are you doing here? The show's starting pretty soon."

"I just wanted to make sure you hadn't killed Portia," he smirked.

"Not yet," she said. "I let her have the dressing room. Cory and Stacy said I could use theirs."

"Makes sense," he nodded. "I wonder whose idea it was to put you two together."

"Someone with a sick sense of humor," Jessica rolled her eyes. "I cant think of many people I hate more than her."

"You know, a couple weeks ago, she pitched an angle to me where she would turn on Cena and join Evolution," Hunter laughed.

"She did?" Jessica looked surprised. "Well that certainly explains her instant dislike for my sister."

Hunter nodded, "I told her it wasn't gonna happen but she seems to think it would make for big ratings."

"Yeah well, crazy people are prone to delusions," Jessica laughed. She held her long hair up with her hand, "Up or down? What do you think?"

"I like it either way," he shrugged, closing his mouth quickly to keep from telling her she looked beautiful no matter what. He really needed to do something soon. It was strange, he wasn't a self conscious guy. He knew he was good looking. He knew there were plenty of women who wanted him. But something about Jessica made him nervous.

"What are you doing after the show tonight?" she asked, brushing her hair.

He shrugged, "I think Ric, Dave, and I are going to get something to eat."

"Ah," she nodded.

"But you're more than welcome to come if you want to," he said quickly.

She smiled, "I'll think about it."

-----------------------------

Taylor sat, laughing as Cory and Dawn told her stories of their days in ECW. She had immediately taken a liking to these two. When she told them she'd rather not talk about herself, saying that there wasn't anything very interesting to tell, they hadn't pushed her at all. They'd taken her to the catering area to get some food and now they were sitting in Dawn and Viveca's dressing room. Dawn was curling her hair and Cory and Taylor were eating grapes.

"So she had dark green hair for a few days," Dawn laughed.

"I love that everyone thinks that's so funny," Cory shook her head, popping a grape into her mouth. "Rob wasn't laughing when he had icy hot in the crotches of all his pants the next week."

"You put icy hot in his pants?" Taylor laughed.

"And I'd do it again," Cory smiled proudly.

Taylor laughed, taking another handfull of grapes. There was a light knock at the door and then it opened slowly.

Taylor smiled when she saw Chris lean into the room with his eyes closed, "Everybody decent?"

"No, we're all _stark naked_ and _covered_ in oil," Cory said in a dramatic, breathy voice.

"Very funny," Chris opened his eyes.

Taylor was surprised that she'd never noticed how blue they were before.

"Having a good time?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded, realizing that for the first time in a long time, she was starting to feel comfortable, almost relaxed.

"Damn right she is," Dawn smiled. "It's a party in here."

"Now Dawn, you know it's never a party until I get here," Chris smiled. "I hate to interrupt the fun but would you mind if I tear Taylor away for a few minutes?"

"I suppose you can take her, but you have to bring her back," Cory ordered.

"Don't worry, it wont take long," Chris said as Taylor stood up.

They walked out of the room and Taylor noticed that Chris was looking at her funny.

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling self conscious.

"Nothing," Chris smiled, shrugging. "You just...nothing."

"_What_?" she asked.

"You were smiling," Chris said. "I haven't seen you smile very much."

"I guess I'm having fun," she shrugged, putting her hands in her pockets.

"Good," he said. "Because I think I may have found you the perfect job."

"What?" she stared at him.

"Yeah," Chris nodded.

"That's great," she smiled excitedly. Then, she noticed, for the first time, that Chris was still wearing the t-shirt he had on earlier but his jeans were replaced with a pair of shiny black leather pants and a silver belt.

He noticed her looking at his attire and smiled, "It's all a part of being Y2J baby."

He smiled at her and she knew she just looked lost.

"You really have no idea who any of us are, do you?" he laughed.

"No," she shook her head. "I really don't."

He laughed, "Well you just be sure to watch the show tonight. I guarantee you'll love it."

-----------------------------

John looked over at Cory, ignoring whatever Portia was saying. They were all at the Gorilla position, waiting for their cues. Cory was standing with Hunter, Randy, Dave, and Ric. He had to admit, though their personalities seemed to clash, she really was easy on the eyes. He would never tell her that, of course, but it was the truth. She was laughing at something Ric said and he noticed that Randy casually put his hand on the small of her back. He rolled his eyes, finding it interesting that his friend would have no problem hitting on someone that, as far as he knew, was John's girlfriend.

"Are you listening to me?" Portia asked.

John shook his head, "Not really."

Portia looked shocked, "What is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, I just knew you weren't saying anything important," he shrugged.

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. He knew that move. That was supposed to make him apologize for ignoring her. Instead, he waved when he saw Chris, his tag team partner for the night, coming toward them.

"What's up man?" he shook hands with his friend.

Portia made a frustrated noise, walking a few steps away.

"What's her problem?" Chris laughed.

John shrugged, "Got me."


	8. Chapter 8

**First, big apologies to my peeps for not following through with the second update the other night. I found myself having some very unexpected but _very_ welcome time with the boyfriend and since our schedules rarely allow it, the update had to wait until now. One of my ears just started ringing...I wonder if that's bad...Moving on, Here's the 8th chapter, hope ya like it. Read, Enjoy, and keep the reviews coming. You're all fabulous - As always, Superbowl weekend is a hugely busy weekend for me. I've got a party on Sunday to get ready for so this may be the last update until Monday.**

**Chapter 8...**

**RAW**

Portia Kelly sat in the makeup chair, chatting with the WWE Makeup artist.

"So how are things with John?"

"Good," Portia smiled. "Really good. I just wish we didn't have to deal with that _idiot_ Randy Orton."

"Seems like _everyone_ around here has to deal with Evolution," the makeup artist sighed. "Whether we like it or not."

As if on cue, Corinne Flair and Batista started to make their way down the hall.

The makeup artist looked nervous while Portia just looked annoyed. When the Evolution members reached the two women, Cory nodded for Batista to go on without her.

"I'll catch up," she assured him.

"Oh why couldn't she just keep walking?" JR groaned.

"Well, well, well," Cory smiled. "What do we have here?"

"Is there something you need Cory?" the makeup artist asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Although I do feel like it's my duty to tell you that it's gonna take a lot more than _that_," she pointed to the makeup brush in her hand. "To help our good buddy Portia."

"Oh that is just uncalled for," JR said.

"Maybe you should invest in some spackle or some plaster or something," Cory suggested.

Portia stood up and the nervous makeup artist quickly got out of the way.

"Calm down sweetie," Cory smiled. "I was only trying to help."

"Portia doesn't look too happy," King laughed.

"You wouldn't be happy if someone insulted you like that," JR said.

"I'll let you get back to work," Cory smiled. "You don't have too much time. See you later."

With a quick wave, Cory walked off looking quite pleased with herself, leaving Portia glaring at her back.

-----------------------------

"So how are things with you and Cory going?" Dawn smiled at John.

John shook his head, laughing a little at Dawn's amused expression, "Why does everybody get such a kick out of this?"

"Because you two are funny," Dawn said.

"Well I'm glad we're so entertaining," John laughed. "Maybe we should start charging you people to watch the show."

"You should," Dawn laughed. "You know, you actually look really good together."

"Who?" John laughed.

"I'm serious," Dawn said. "You and Cory would make a cute couple."

"Yeah, like Tom and Jerry make a cute couple," John said.

"Who's Tom and who's Jerry?" Dawn smirked.

"That I don't know yet," John laughed.

"You know, I know you two didn't exactly hit it off," Dawn said. "But before she found out she was getting called up, I was about to try and set you two up."

"You were gonna set me up with Cory?" John laughed. "Why? Because you wanted to test our friendship?"

"You met when you were both having rough days," Dawn said. "I think if you two could stop being brats because of that, you'd really get along well."

John shook his head, "Somehow I don't see that happening. I think we're getting along as well as we're ever going to."

Dawn smiled, "I think you're wrong."

-----------------------------

_1/2 Hour Later..._

Cory walked down the ramp with Randy, Ric, and Dave. Portia was standing in the ring, glaring at her. Cory knew that as part of the storyline, they were supposed to 'hate' each other, but Cory couldn't help but feel like Portia wasn't acting. Part of her found it a little amusing that the other woman could dislike her so much when she'd only known her for a few days. She walked up the ring steps, smiling at Portia and waving. The dark hair diva rolled her eyes, shaking her head. In the beginning, she hadn't been too sure of how she would handle the heel role but working opposite someone like Portia made it fun. It was so easy to draw a reaction from her. She climbed into the ring and heard a bunch of guys in the front row start whistling. When she turned, she saw the rowdy young men but what caught her eye was behind them. There was a group of teenagers and one of them had a sign with a picture of her in the ring from her Indy days and the words 'Flair For Women's Champ'. She didn't want the camera to catch her staring at it so she turned to face the other way as Randy and Ric posed for the cameras. She looked into the opposing corner again and John caught her eye. He nodded to the sign and she had to try really hard not to smile. Once the crowd noise started to die down, Dave got out of the ring. Cory went to give Randy a kiss on the cheek but he turned his head, pressing his lips to hers. It took everything in her not to jump back. Obviously enjoying himself, Randy put an arm around her, deepening the kiss for a few seconds before letting her go. She got out of the ring as quickly as she could without looking annoyed. Dave shot her a knowing look and she pasted on a smile.

"I'm gonna kill him," she said through gritted teeth.

"Just don't do it when I'm around," Dave said. "I don't wanna be forced to testify against you."

"Don't worry," Cory smiled. "No one will see it."

-----------------------------

**RAW**

Only a few minutes into the match, Cory and Batista were beginning to look a little distressed as Cena and Jericho kept The Nature Boy away from his corner.

"This is not fair," King said as Jericho whipped Flair into the corner and tagged Cena into the match.

"This is perfectly fair," JR argued. "They haven't done anything illegal."

"Speaking of illegal," King said as Cory was shown whispering something to Batista. "Do you think it's legal to look that good JR?"

"Watch yourself King," JR said. "I wonder what those two are talking about."

"I think we're gonna find out soon," King said as Batista walked toward Jericho and Cena's corner. Randy grabbed the ref and started yelling at him and while he was distracted, Batista yanked Jericho off the corner. He took the smaller man and whipped him into the ring steps, then moved away quickly.

"Oh my God!" JR exclaimed. "What the hell was that?"

"I think that was pretty obvious," King said as Randy let the referee go. The ref saw Jericho writhing on the ground and then looked over at Batista, who put his hands up, claiming innocence.

"The ref cant disqualify Evolution if he didn't see what happened," King said.

"He had to have heard it!" JR exclaimed.

The referee couldn't disqualify him but he did take some action, ejecting Batista from ringside before the show went to commercial.

-----------------------------

Dawn looked over at Mark as he watched the monitor. They were both watching Cory as if they were proud parents. Sometimes it felt so strange to act so normal with Mark after everything they'd gone through. There was a time when she thought they would be together forever. But that time was over and they would never get back to where they were. Too many things had changed. But sometimes, when she looked at him, she felt a tug at her heart. She remembered a time when the mere thought of seeing him made her heart beat faster, when nothing could make her happier than just being with him. She hated to admit it but she missed those times. She missed him. She missed _them_.

-----------------------------

Cory grabbed Chris's ankle as planned, tripping him up when Randy whipped him toward the ropes. She could hear JR and King behind her and was pretty sure JR had just called her a jezebel. Then, Portia came over and angrily turned Cory to face her.

"Ow!" Cory rubbed her arm. "Watch it psycho!"

"_Bitch_," Portia glared.

Cory rolled her eyes, about to turn away. The plan was for them to have a quick confrontation at ringside before heading to opposite sides. Before Cory could turn though, Portia grabbed her arm and made her face her again.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cory asked.

"Me?!" Portia stared. "What are _you_ doing?"

"What are you talking about?" Cory asked, genuinely confused.

"John, genius, what else would I be talking about?"

"Okay this is _so_ not the time," Cory warned her.

"I will decide when it's the right time," Portia sneered.

"Oh really?" Cory smirked. "You mean like John decided he didn't want your ass anymore."

Before Cory even knew what was happening, Portia had her hand on the pitcher of water sitting on the announce table.

"You wouldn't da-"

Cory was cut off, gasping as Portia poured the ice cold water over her head.

-----------------------------

**RAW**

"Oh my God!" King exclaimed as Cory stood, mouth open, dripping wet.

"Portia just doused Cory!" JR laughed.

Once Cory got over the shock, she lunged at Portia and the fight was on.

"I don't know if I should watch what's going on in the ring or out here," King said as Cory slapped Portia had across the face. Portia slapped her back and Cory stumbled a few steps. Portia looked smug until Cory hit her in the jaw with a right cross. Ric Flair and Chris Jericho jumped down from their corners, coming over to try and separate the women who were rolling around on the floor, slapping, punching, and pulling hair. Flair got them up but Portia was still holding Cory. Then, Jericho wrapped his hands around Portia's waist, and pulled hard. Unfortunately for Cory, Portia had a grip on the back of her blazer. When Jericho pulled, he inadvertently helped her strip Cory, leaving her in her bra and miniskirt.

"Whoa!" King exclaimed.

"Oh my!" JR said.

John Cena had started watching the action outside the ring, leaving Randy Orton lying in wait. Then, he turned around and right into an RKO. Randy pinned the other man and the referee counted the fall.

"I cant blame Cena for being distracted," King said as Cory feebly tried to cover herself. Randy got out of the ring and rushed over and got Ric's robe, bringing it over and holding it up, yelling at the fans not to look at his girlfriend as the show went to commercial.

-----------------------------

John braced himself for what was to come as he, Chris, and Portia walked up the ramp. Randy, Dave, Ric, and Cory had just disappeared beyond the curtain.

"Are you insane?" John asked.

"Shutup John," Portia rolled her eyes.

"Why would you do that?" he asked, angry. What Portia had just done was completely reckless and irresponsible. Not to mention embarrassing for Cory. He knew Cory was a person that was comfortable with her body but he could tell when her shirt came off unexpectedly that she was mortified. She recovered pretty quickly but the look in her eyes the second it happened was enough for John to be angry with Portia.

"I did it because I felt like it," Portia said.

"I bet you're regretting that now," John said, noting the bruises forming, especially a big one on Portia's jaw. Cory obviously hadn't pulled any punches.

Chris went through the curtain and John followed with Portia behind him. Cory was standing with Randy and Dave, both men seemed to be on alert. When Cory saw Portia, she looked ready to attack but Randy put an arm around her.

"Mr. McMahon wants to have a talk with you Portia," Dave informed her.

John walked over quickly, "I got this Randy."

Randy backed away and John stood in front of her, "Come with me."

"Not until I have a little _talk_ with Portia," Cory glared.

"No talk, no fight, come with me," he said calmly.

She looked like she was about to argue but he looked into her eyes, letting her know without words that she wasn't getting by him. She rolled her eyes, "Fine, where are we going?"

He took her hand, leading her down the hall toward the dressing rooms. He led her into the first empty one and closed the door.

She stood with her arms wrapped around herself and John realized she was shivering. He remembered he had the shirt he wore to the ring in his hand.

"Here," he said, holding it out to her.

"Thank you," she said, taking it and pulling it on over her head.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yes John, I'm _fantastic_," she glared. "Your crazy ex girlfriend just gave me an ice bath and ripped my shirt off on live TV."

"Well, if it helps, you handled it really well," John said. "It looked like it was part of the storyline."

"Well that's just _great_," she glared. She took a deep breath, running her hand through her wet hair. She looked back up at him, her expression softening, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault...completely."

"Hey, you agreed to this plan," he reminded her.

"I know," she said. Then, she giggled, shaking her head.

"What?"

"Nothing," she shook her head again.

"No, what?" he asked, curious.

"I was just thinking..if this is what being your fake girlfriend is like, I don't even _want_ to know what it's like to actually be with you," she said.

"It's actually not that bad," he smirked.

She laughed, "I'll take your word for it."

-----------------------------

Taylor looked up when she heard the door to the dressing room open. Chris walked in, drinking a bottle of water, a towel draped over his shoulders. So far, he was right, she was really enjoying the show, especially the sight of Cory beating Portia up. That was entertaining. Seeing Chris's TV persona was interesting too. She knew he was funny but once he was on camera, he really was almost like a rock star. It was great to watch.

"You're smiling again," Chris pointed. "That must mean you're becoming a Y2J fan."

"You could say that," she laughed. "I can see why people get so into this."

"Good," Chris smiled. "So does that mean you're gonna stick around?"

"I don't know," Taylor shrugged. "I'm actually thinking about it."

"Well what can I do to make you sure?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I mean, you're not even sure you can get me a job."

"I'm pretty sure I can," he said.

"But I've never been a personal assistant," she said. "I'd have no idea what to do."

"You were a receptionist and a waitress," Chris said. "You have to deal with demanding people in both of those fields."

"Yeah but-"

"No but's," Chris said. "Just keep thinking about it. By the end of this night I'm gonna figure out some way to convince you."

For some reason, his enthusiasm made her smile.

"Why is this so important to you?" she asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It just is."

-----------------------------

"So I noticed you dancing with Jeff last night," Jessica smiled.

Viveca rolled her eyes.

"What?" Jessica laughed. "You get to bug me about Hunter but I cant bug you about Jeff."

"There's nothing to bug me about," Viveca insisted. "Because there's nothing there."

"You're still holding out for Adam?" Jessica asked.

"I wouldn't put it that way," Viveca said.

"But that's what you're doing," Jessica said. "You can say what you want but I saw you smiling with Jeff."

"So?" Viveca shrugged.

"So I thought you abhorred his very existence," Jessica smirked.

"He _might_ not be as bad as I thought," Viveca shrugged. "He's still not my type."

"I think you'd make a cute couple," Jessica said. "You know, sometimes it's good to venture out of your comfort zone. It's like trying a new restaurant. You might not think you'd like it but once you try the food, it's the best you've ever had."

"You're comparing him to a restaurant?" Viveca laughed.

"I just want you to be open," Jessica said. "For your own good. You never know what could happen."

-----------------------------

"Can you believe that?" Portia fumed, pacing back and forth in front of Torrie. "I got yelled at. Look at what she did to my face! And _I'm_ the one who gets in trouble?"

"Well, you did start it," Torrie pointed out. Portia had gotten quite a talking to from Mr. McMahon and she seemed astounded by it. Torrie wasn't sure what was so confusing to Portia.

"That doesn't matter," Portia insisted. "I poured water on her. She _punched_ me!"

"I know," Torrie said, not in the mood to argue. When Portia thought she was right, there was no convincing her otherwise. And Portia _always_ thought she was right.

There was a light knock on the door and then Hunter leaned into the room, "Is Jessie in here?"

"No," Torrie answered.

"She's probably talking to her _psycho_ of a sister," Portia glared.

"Oh hey Portia," Hunter smirked. "How's the jaw?"

She rolled her eyes, "Get out."

-----------------------------

"So we're just gonna have to roll with it," Cory shrugged. "Vince says it pushes our feud a little faster than he planned but that it's okay. We have to film another segment in a few minutes."

"I could kick Portia's ass for that," Dawn shook her head.

"You're not kicking anybody's ass," Mark said.

"Why not?" Dawn asked. "She deserves it."

"We've gotta let Cory fight her own battles," Mark said. He grabbed Cory's hand and held it up so Dawn could see her bruised knuckle, "And obviously I have taught her well."

"Thanks Mark," Cory laughed, pulling her hand away. "Weirdo."

Cory started to pull off the t-shirt she was wearing.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Mark put a hand up. "_What_ are you doing?"

"I told you we have to shoot another segment," Cory said, pulling the shirt off, leaving herself in her bra, skirt, and boots.

"In that?" Mark said.

"Mark, you did know that I have breasts, right?" Cory smirked.

Mark frowned, "Yeah but I didn't know I was gonna have to see them all the time."

-----------------------------

**RAW**

"I am gonna _kill_ that bitch!" Cory fumed, her voice higher pitched in her frustrated state.

"Don't worry baby," Randy said. "_No one_ treats you like that and gets away with it."

"We'll do something about it kiddo," Ric said. "I promise."

"We'll make Jericho pay too," Batista added. "He should know by now..you don't _mess_ with _Evolution_."

Randy put his arms around a still furious Cory, trying to calm her down, "They're all gonna regret this. I promise."

-----------------------------

"You can let me go now Randy," Cory said as the cameraman walked out of the dressing room. Randy was still holding her head to his chest.

"I was just making sure he had everything he needed," Randy said.

"I'm pretty sure he got it," Cory said, taking his hand and moving it away from her head so she could move away from him.

"I bet you gained quite a few fans tonight," Randy smirked, looking her up and down.

"Randy, you need a cold shower," Ric said, shaking his head as he walked out of the room.

"Really man," Dave patted him on the shoulder. "You should just give it up."

Cory stifled a giggle as Dave left as well. She looked over at Randy and was surprised to see that he seemed unaffected by the other men's comments. What was it going to take to get it through his head that she didn't want him?

"I should go find John," she said, walking toward the door.

"You know, it seems strange that John never mentioned you were dating before you got here," Randy said, frowning.

"We already told you," Cory said. "We didn't want anybody to know. I'll see you later Randy."

-----------------------------

John heard a light knocking on the door to his dressing room. He heard heels clicking and expected to see Cory when he turned around. He was sorely disappointed when he turned and found himself face to face with Portia.

He sighed, "What now?"

"We need to talk," she said.

"Talk about what?" he asked.

"I wanted...I wanted to apologize," Portia said, giving him a soft expression. He wasn't even remotely affected. John was usually irritated with Portia but after the stunt she pulled with Cory, he was even more annoyed than usual.

He frowned, "Apologize for what?"

"For what happened out there," she said. "I let my temper get the best of me. I should never have allowed that to happen."

"Why are you apologizing to me?" he asked. "You didn't strip me half naked in front of millions of people."

"I know but-"

"But nothing," John shook his head. "I don't wanna hear it. You wanna apologize to someone, apologize to Cory. But I wouldn't get too close to her yet because she's liable to take your head off."

"Oh come on," Portia sighed. "She was gonna end up in her bra and panties on TV anyway. We all do at some point or another."

"That's not the point," John said. "The point is that she wasn't prepared for it. You embarrassed her because you're jealous and that's not right."

"Why are you so fired up about it?" Portia rolled her eyes. "Are you in love now?"

"Hell no," John shook his head. She gave him a funny look and he recovered quickly, "I don't have to be in love. I'm an adult and I know how to act like one. Unlike some people."

Portia looked frustrated. John hoped she was frustrated enough to leave. He got his wish when she said, "Fine, Whatever." then, turned and walked out. John turned back to his bag, pulling out a different t-shirt.

"Well that was impressive."

He stopped, recognizing Cory's voice. He turned to see her leaning on the doorframe. She was wearing his t-shirt again and she'd put on a pair of pink sweatpants. Though Portia had obviously been on the losing side of their fight, he could see a few marks on her face. She didn't seem bothered by it though.

"I didn't think anyone could put Portia in her place," she smirked.

"I don't know," John said. "You did a pretty good job out there earlier. She's got the bruises to prove it."

"Yeah, it's easy to check someone with fists of steel like these," she said, holding up her hands. "But you did it with words. I'm surprised."

"I'm a man of many talents," John shrugged.

She laughed, "I'm sure you are."

-----------------------------

Viveca was walking out of her room when she bumped into someone sweaty. She started to fall but then she felt two strong hands hold her up.

"You okay?"

She looked up, meeting the green eyes of Jeff Hardy.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's okay, I never do," Jeff laughed, releasing his hold on her.

They stood in awkward silence for a second and then Viveca decided to speak up, "You had a great match tonight."

"Yeah?" he seemed surprised at her compliment, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Yeah," she nodded. "You always have good matches."

"I didn't know you watched 'em," Jeff admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Viveca felt herself smiling as well, "I do."

"Listen, I was wondering if maybe you would wanna go get something to eat after the show," he said.

Viveca thought about it for a second. She was beginning to be _slightly_ less annoyed by Jeff but she hoped he wasn't reading into things too much.

"Not a date or anything," he said as if he'd read her mind. "Just two hungry, non romantically involved people getting some food."

She thought back to how he cheered her up the night before with the strange rapid movement he liked to call dancing. She supposed she owed him.

"I guess I could eat," she nodded.

"Cool," he smiled. "I'm gonna go get showered up. I'll see you later."

She nodded again, "See you later."


	9. Chapter 9

**Well peeps, here's the next chapter. I'm gonna make this brief because I'm dead tired. I'm having a really crappy week so reviews would be really nice. I could use something positive right about now. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review**

**Chapter 9...**

Cory jumped when she heard a knock at her door. She lifted her laptop from her lap and laid it down gently before walking over to the door and looking through the peep hole. She smiled when she spotted her sister.

"Hey," she opened the door.

"I brought you food," Jessica held up a large paper bag. "Thought you might need it."

"I do, I'm starving," Cory said. "You are the best sister ever."

"I know," Jessica said, sitting down on the couch and putting the bag on the coffee table. "What were you up to?"

"Looking at a few message boards," Cory shrugged. "I wanted to see what the fans are saying about me."

"And?" Jessica waited.

"There were a few skanky ho comments here and there but I was surprised, a lot of the response is positive," Cory smiled. "A lot of people remembered me from ECW."

"You say that like it's surprising," Jessica started unpacking the Chinese food. "You were awesome."

"You're my big sister, you have to say that," Cory closed her laptop and placed it on the floor, then sat on the couch.

"No I don't," Jessica laughed. "You know I'd never lie to you, not even to spare your feelings."

Cory laughed, "Thanks Jessie."

"You're welcome," Jessica said, handing Cory a container of shrimp fried rice. "I considered bringing you some ice packs but I figured if you needed them, you'd have them."

"I had one on my hand earlier," Cory said. "My knuckle was all swollen. Bitch better not have messed up my hand."

"Trust me, from what I saw, Portia is _much_ worse off than you are," Jessica laughed. "Sometimes you just make me so proud."

Cory had a few random bruises but aside from her knuckle, she really hadn't been affected by the fight.

"You know, I just don't see how anyone can go so crazy over someone like _John_," Cory made a face.

Jessica laughed, shaking her head.

"What?" Cory asked. "I'm serious. I don't get it."

"You know, John can get on my nerves like the little brother I never wanted sometimes," Jessica said. "But he really is a good guy."

"Oh not you too," Cory sighed, leaning back against the couch. "I had to hear this from Dawn already."

"He _is_," Jessica insisted. "I know you had a rough start but he's not as bad as you think."

"He's probably much worse," Cory said.

"Oh come on," Jessica said. "You're one of the nicest people I know, give the guy a break."

Cory shook her head, "Can we stop talking about him now?"

"Fine, fine," Jessica said. "Have you heard from Damien?"

"Nope," Cory shook her head. "You know, I don't know _why_ I stayed with him as long as I did."

"None of us do," Jessica smirked.

"We had _nothing_ in common," Cory said. "He could never understand my passion for the business. He always thought it was some sort of a phase. How crazy is that?"

"I don't know," Jessica said. "I don't know many people who love the business the way you do...Although there is one person..."

Cory pointed, "Don't even start."

"He does," Jessica smirked. "Just talk to him."

"I'm pretending to be his girlfriend, I talk to him more than enough," Cory made a face.

Jessica sighed, "If you say so."

"Let's talk about _your_ love life, I'm sure it's far more interesting than mine," Cory said.

Jessica smiled, looking down at her food.

Cory's mouth dropped open, "There's something you're not telling me. How dare you?"

"It's not a big deal," Jessica shook her head.

"Oh it is," Cory insisted. "If you're not telling me until now it's a big deal."

"Who said I was telling you now?" Jessica laughed.

"Little sister's law," Cory said. "You're not allowed to keep secrets from me. And if you try, I'll annoy you until you tell me what it is."

"Well, I've been kind of seeing someone," Jessica admitted.

"Is it Hunter?" Cory asked excitedly. "Tell me it's Hunter because you two are so cute tog-"

"It's not Hunter," Jessica laughed. "We're just friends. He doesn't think of me that way."

Cory stared at her, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Jessica nodded. "We're just buddies. Nothing more."

Cory's smile fell, "Then who the hell is it?"

"Well," Jessica said. "His name is James."

-----------------------------

"You know, I've always wanted to ask you," Viveca looked across the table at Jeff. "What is the deal with the body paint?"

Jeff laughed, "I just like it. I don't know. I guess it's just another way of expressing myself."

She gave him a look.

"I know, it's a cliche," he laughed. "But it's true."

"I just don't understand why a good looking guy would choose to put paint all over his face," Viveca shook her head, going back to her salad.

"I don't always put it on my face," Jeff said, taking a bite of his burger. He put it down and looked at her inquisitively.

"What?" she asked.

"You just called me good looking," he smirked.

"Did I?" she asked, surprised. She didn't even realize she'd said it.

He nodded, "Mmhmm."

"Well..you are," she shrugged. "In your own way."

"Thanks," he laughed. "I think."

Viveca was surprised that he didn't push it any further. She'd been surprised by him for most of the night. She was actually having a pretty good time.

"You know, you're not so bad Jeff Hardy," she smiled.

"Is that so?" he smiled.

She nodded, "Yeah, it is."

"Well Viveca," he said. "You're not so bad yourself."

-----------------------------

"Isn't that cute?" Dawn smiled.

"Isn't what cute?" Mark looked up from his chicken. He followed Dawn's gaze to a table where Jeff and Viveca were sitting together. "That's a surprise."

Mark, along with pretty much everyone else, had been convinced that Jeff would never get a chance with Viveca. He was a good kid but she just never seemed to give him the time of day. Dawn, romantic that she was, always seemed to think that there was something there. It was probably nothing but knowing Dawn, she had them engaged already.

"I guess being persistent pays off," Dawn said, turning her attention back to her pasta.

"It does," Mark said. "Hell, it took me a year to get you to go on a date with me. And then another month to get you to go out with me again."

He smiled, thinking back to the first time they met. It was at a birthday dinner for a mutual friend. At the time, Dawn was early in her ECW career and Mark was the WWE Champion. By luck, they ended up sitting next to each other at the dinner. It took him approximately 4 and a half minutes to decide that he was smitten with the brunette. He suggested they meet up for dinner the next day but she explained that she was involved with someone. Mark was disappointed but not completely discouraged, especially after he found out from their mutual friend that her relationship wasn't very serious. For months, they saw each other at various functions and though they got along, she always refused to go out with him, claiming that she didn't date men in the business anymore. Finally, after almost a year, at yet another birthday dinner, Mark got Dawn to say yes. A week later they went on their first date.

"I didn't think you were my type," Dawn laughed. "_You_ seemed to think you were but I wasn't so sure."

"I always knew you'd come around," Mark smiled. He wasn't usually the most patient man in the world but with Dawn, he had been willing to wait as long as she made him. He hadn't even considered giving up on her.

"Oh really?" she raised a brow. "And how did you know that?"

"You always smiled," Mark answered. "It was never a firm no, there was always a little smile or a laugh or something."

"And that told you to keep bugging me until I said yes?" she smirked.

He nodded, "Worked, didn't it?"

Dawn nodded, "Yeah, it did...I just hope if something happens with Jeff and Viveca, it doesn't turn out the way things did with us."

Mark looked down at his food,beginning to regret the turn this conversation had taken. For the sake of their friendship, he and Dawn rarely discussed their previous relationship. Sometimes he desperately wanted to tell her how much he missed being with her and how sorry he was but he knew that it wasn't a good idea. It was an unwritten rule that they just didn't discuss the past.

"Jeff's a smart kid," Mark said. "He wont mess up like I did."  
-----------------------------

_"Shutup Nancy!" he yelled._

_"Stop it!" her mother cried. "Let her go!"_

_Taylor struggled against him but he was too strong. She couldn't get her arm free of his grasp._

_Her mother rushed to them, grabbing his arm, trying to pry them apart._

_"I told you to mind your business!" he yelled, roughly pushing her mother away._

_"Mom!" Taylor screamed when her mother hit the floor. She tried to run to her but he yanked her back. "Let me go!"_

_"Not until you learn your lesson!" he yelled. "You don't disobey me!"_

_Taylor wasn't even sure what she'd done this time. It seemed that lately he didn't need a reason to go off. Sometimes if Taylor so much as breathed in his direction, she was in deep trouble. She didn't care at this point. She could take it but her mother...she couldn't stomach the way he treated her mother._

_"Let me go!" she stepped hard on his foot._

_He cried out in pain, letting her go and she rushed to her mother's side. She had bumped her head on the floor when she fell._

_"Mom," she sniffed, pulling her groggy mother up into a sitting position. "Mommy, can you hear me? Mom?"_

_She heard him moving around behind her but she ignored him. Her mom's eyes were heavy lidded and she wasn't responding to Taylor._

_"Mom you need to-"_

_Taylor was about to speak but then she felt something cold press against the side of her head. She recognized the feeling. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten out his gun and held it on her. But this time, he was shaking._

-----------------------------

"I'm still surprised that you came with me," Jeff said as he walked Viveca down the hall toward her hotel room.

"Don't be so surprised. It's really quite simple," she smiled. "I was hungry and you were willing to pay."

"That makes me feel special," he said dryly, putting a hand over her heart.

"You know, you asked me something you always wanted to ask earlier, so now I wanna ask you something," he said, leaning against the wall as they reached her door.

"What's that?" she asked.

"You're beautiful and you're smart. You have a lot to offer. So why is it that the entire time you've been with the company, you've _never_ had a relationship? Why are you so against it?"

"I'm gonna explain to you something that I read once that makes perfect sense to me," she said. "To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering, you must avoid love. But if you avoid love, you suffer from not loving. Therefore, to love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer, to suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love, to be happy then is to suffer but suffering makes you unhappy. So, to be unhappy, you must love or love to suffer..or suffer from too much happiness."

Jeff was a little confused. He understood the first part of the philosophy but then it just got too confusing.

"Why be in love?" Viveca asked. "Why make a _conscious effort_ to do something that will make you miserable when you can be miserable without doing any work at all."

"You make it sound like a burden," he said.

"That's all I've ever seen that it is," Viveca shrugged. "And civilization has a built in resistance to improving itself. People don't change _that_ much."

"Some people do," Jeff said. "And once you've felt love, you understand that it doesn't exist just to make people unhappy. It can be the greatest feeling in the world. Your life isn't full without it...What about your parents? Are they still together?"

Jeff could swear he saw Viveca flinch at the mention of her family. She never really talked about them.

"Yeah, they're still together," she nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired. I'm going to go inside and go to bed."

Jeff nodded, a little nervous that he'd just reversed all the progress he made with her, "Goodnight Viveca."

"Goodnight."

-----------------------------

Chris walked out of the bathroom after showering and changing. There was an infomercial on TV which, hopefully, meant that Taylor was asleep. His suspicion was confirmed when he walked over to the couch and saw her curled up, clutching a pillow to her chest. For a second, he thought she looked cute but then her expression changed. She looked almost frightened. She started to move around in her sleep. She was mumbling but he couldn't quite understand what she was saying. Nervous, Chris considered waking her up. He wasn't sure if he should though, maybe the dream would pass. Whatever was going on in her head was obviously bad because he could see tears escaping her tightly shut eyes. Chris couldn't watch anymore. He knelt beside the bed and gently shook her.

"Taylor," he said. "Taylor get up."

She struggled against him but her eyes stayed shut.

"Taylor," he said her name a little louder. "Taylor, wake up."

She pushed him away roughly, her eyes finally opening. She got up from the couch, scrambling away from him. She backed up until she reached the wall and then slid down, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. Her blue eyes were filled with tears and she was breathing heavily.

"Taylor," he got up slowly, cautiously. "Are you okay?"

-----------------------------

Taylor shook her head, unable to speak. She hadn't had that particular dream in a _long_ time.

"Do you want some water or something?" Chris asked, slowly moving toward her.

She shook her head, feeling her breathing grow even faster.

"What can I do?" Chris asked. "I wanna help."

He knelt down in front of her and reached for her hand. She felt herself jerk away from him.

He looked completely confused and she couldn't blame him. This was her fault. Just when she thought that _maybe_ things were finally beginning to look up, that stupid dream came back. She should never have allowed herself to get even a little bit comfortable with Chris. Now he probably thought she was a lunatic. Maybe she was.

"Taylor-"

"Please," she breathed. "Just..just leave me alone."

Chris sighed, standing up slowly.

He walked toward the door, picking up his wallet and cell phone on the way.

"I'm just going down the hall to Adam's room," he said. "Call me if you need _anything_."

Taylor didn't respond, staring at the floor. She didn't want to look at Chris. She didn't want to see the look he was probably giving her. She didn't want to feel like the pathetic little drifter.

She didn't raise her eyes from the ground until she heard the door close behind him.

-----------------------------

John was on his way back to his room when he felt himself bump into something coming around the corner. He heard a squeak and a laugh almost escaped him when he saw Cory sitting on the floor, glaring up at him.

"I just cant seem to stop running into you," he laughed, extending his hand to her. "You okay?"

She allowed him to help her up, "Oh yes, I just love falling on my ass on cheap rough fiber carpet."

"Well excuse me Princess," he bowed to her.

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So what's my girl doing wandering the halls?" he asked as she started walking and he fell into step beside her.

"Jessica brought me some food earlier and I was walking her back to her room," Cory explained.

John looked over at her and could see the beginnings of a bruise starting just above her right eyebrow.

"That looks like it hurts," he nodded to it.

"It does," she admitted. "I feel like somebody hit me with a fish or something."

"A fish?" he laughed.

She shrugged, "I've heard that hurts."

"Don't sleep on your stomach tonight," John advised. "If you do, when you wake up, it'll be darker and hurt worse."

She smiled at him, obviously surprised at his advice, "Thanks."

Then, she stopped walking, her eyes going wide.

"What's wrong?" he asked, confused.

She nodded toward something ahead of them and he followed, sighing when he saw Portia and Randy getting off of the elevator.

"Shit," he shook his head. "Should we leave?"

"No, if we leave it'll look like we're running," she said. "Nothing gets hunters more excited than mobile prey. Besides, I don't think there are any bathrooms close enough for us to duck into."

"Very funny," he said, taking her hand in his as Portia and Randy approached.

"Well look who it is," Portia said, looking them both up and down.

Randy did the same. Well, at least he looked _Cory_ up and down.

Instinctively, John pulled Cory a little closer to him.

"What are you two doing walking around in the middle of the night?" Portia asked.

John had a feeling they were being tested.

"We uh...well..we," Cory stammered for a few seconds.

"She was a little sore after tonight," John explained, putting a hand on Cory's shoulder. "I was giving her a massage."

Cory agreed, "And now he's walking me back to my room."

"Why isn't she just staying in your room?" Randy asked.

"I have lotion all over me," Cory said. "John cant sleep if his bed smells like-"

"Pink grapefruit," John finished her sentence. She looked surprised that he knew what kind of lotion she wore. Honestly, he was surprised himself.**  
**-----------------------------

Chris walked back into his hotel room, making sure to be very cautious. He didn't want to rattle Taylor the way he had earlier. He had been gone for an hour, worrying the entire time. Hopefully she was feeling better.

"Taylor," he said, slowly entering the room. "It's me, Chris."

Once he was inside, he saw Taylor standing by the bed, shoving her clothes into her bag.

"Taylor?"

She looked over her shoulder at him, then turned back to her task.

"Are you leaving?" he asked, concerned.

She nodded, zipping one bag and then opening the other.

"Why?" he asked. He didn't want her to be by herself, especially not after what he saw earlier. She needed _someone_. "I thought we were working on getting you a job."

"I know you were, and I cant tell you how much I appreciate that," she turned to face him, wiping away tears that were running down her face. "But I really need to go. This was a bad idea."

"Taylor, I didn't mean to scare you," Chris insisted. "I just..you looked like you were having a bad dream and-"

"That wasn't your fault," she cut him off. "Just trust me, you don't want me around all the time."

"I don't want you on the streets with no car and no money," he said.

"You don't even know me Chris!" she emphatically reminded him.

"I know enough to know that I want to help you," Chris walked closer to her, hoping he could somehow change her mind. She was obviously stubborn but so was he.

"Chris," she softened a little. "I cant thank you enough for helping me out the way you did. I really appreciate it and I promise that I'll pay you back as soon as I can. But I'm not a freeloader..I have to go."

"You're not freeloading Taylor," he insisted.

"I certainly haven't paid for anything since I met you," she insisted. "That sounds like freeloading to me...Look I've never had anything handed to me. I'm used to working for _everything_ I have. It's just how I am. I cant do this."

"I'm not _handing_ you anything," he said. "I'm trying to help."

"I know you are," she said, picking up her bags and walking past him toward the door. She opened the door and then turned to face him, "Thank you so much."

"But-"

"Chris," she cut him off. "Just..stop."

Chris ran a hand through his hair, not sure what to do.

"Thanks again," she said. "You're a great guy."

He nodded and she turned, walking away. Chris watched as the door closed behind her, wondering if he would ever see her again.

-----------------------------

"We really need to get better at lying," Cory said as she and John reached her door. "Or, at least, I do."

"We didn't do too bad," John laughed. "We're getting better."

"True enough," she laughed. "I think they know something though."

"Between the two of them," John smirked. "Cant be much."

Cory laughed, shaking her head. Sometimes John was kind of, sort of funny...Sometimes.

"Listen, you get some rest," he said. "Remember what I said about that bruise."

"I will, thanks," she smiled.

Then, to her surprise, John reached forward and gave her a little hug. Even more surprising, she returned it. They stood in each other's embrace for a few seconds then, Cory got her wits about her. She and John pulled away from each other at the same time.

"Did we just...?" he looked around for witnesses.

Cory shook her head, "Let's just pretend that we didn't.

-----------------------------

"Hello this is Viveca and you've reached my answering machine...evidently if you're calling my house I don't love you enough to have given you my cell phone number. I'm on the road but when I get back I'll check my messages and put your name on the list of people waiting for me to call them back. Thank you...Farewell."

"Viveca darling," Lorraine sighed. "This is your mother...Please give me a call when you get this...your father and I ...we miss you..I cant even remember how many messages we've left for you...I wish you'd talk to us..It's been too long...I love you..Bye honey."  
-----------------------------


	10. Chapter 10

**Well my fabulous peeps, here's the next chapter of Thin Line, hope ya like it. I just have to say, your reviews did make me feel better. I'm still going through kind of a rough time but it helps to know that my brain can produce something for others to enjoy. You all rock my socks. I've got some time off ahead so expect more chapters in all of my stories, hopefully by the end of the week. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 10...**

_The Next Morning..._

Hunter looked up from his food to see Cory smiling at him.

"What?" he laughed a little at the eager look on her face. She was like a little kid with a secret.

"I'm just wondering when you're gonna ask me why I invited you to breakfast this morning," she said, pouring herself some orange juice.

"Well, I'm hoping it's not my charm and good looks," Hunter said. "John is my friend you know."

"Very funny," she gave him a look, picking up one of the strawberries on her fruit plate. "That's not quite it."

"Then why?" he asked.

"Because I know something," she smiled. "And I think _you know_ I know."

"You think I know you know what?" he asked.

"I think you know I kn...never mind," Cory laughed. "You have a crush on my sister, don't you?"

One thing Hunter had quickly learned about Cory, just like her sister, she wasn't one to beat around the bush.

"I think I'm a little old for crushes," Hunter smirked. "And Jessica and I are just friends."

Cory leaned a little closer, "Hunter, I didn't get to where I am now without being persistent. And I'm not gonna leave you alone until you admit it. So _my_ suggestion is that you bite the bullet and just tell me the truth."

There was a definite air of confident authority in Cory's tone that made it obvious to Hunter that he didn't have a choice here.

"Okay," he sighed. "Yes, I like your sister."

"Good," Cory smiled. "Because she likes you too."

"She does?" Hunter stared, surprised.

"She hasn't admitted it, don't get too excited," Cory said. "But I know she does."

"You know?" Hunter asked, skeptically.

"Trust me," Cory said. "I know Jessie...So I hear you had a bad date a while ago and agreed never to try it again."

Hunter nodded, "You hear correctly."

"Forgive me when I say that's pretty stupid," Cory said.

Hunter laughed, "You aren't the first person who's said that."

"One bad date doesn't mean that you should just give up," she insisted.

"Jessica is one of my best friends," Hunter said. "What if I made a move and then things got messed up?"

"And what if you made a move and ended up in a great relationship?" she countered. "At the risk of sounding cliché, you never know until you try."

"And what do you suggest I do?" he asked.

"Well before we do anything, we've gotta check out this boyfriend Joe," Cory said.

"James," Hunter corrected. He had just found out about the other man the day before.

"Whatever," Cory shrugged. "Anyway, we need to see what he's about. She says she's going to visit him tomorrow. He lives in Boston."

"Well we cant exactly follow her," Hunter laughed.

"No but we can find a reason to make a trip," Cory suggested.

"Like what?" he asked.

Cory rested her chin on her hand, "I'm not sure yet."

-----------------------------

Dawn walked onto the elevator and did a double take when she saw Chris yawning. The two of them were supposed to be at the airport in a few hours to travel to California for a radio interview.

"Chris?" she stared. "You look exhausted."

"I didn't sleep very well," he admitted.

"Where's Taylor?" she asked.

"I don't know," Chris admitted, his tone distressed. "Something scared her last night. She left."

"Something scared her?" Dawn asked, confused. "Something like what?"

"I don't know," Chris sighed. "Am I crazy?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Dawn answered. "Why?"

"I'm worried," Chris admitted. "I barely even know her but I want to find her."

"That doesn't make you crazy Chris," Dawn assured him. "She seemed like a really sweet girl."

"I just don't get it," Chris shook his head. "Everything seemed okay and then she had this nightmare. I tried to wake her up and she freaked out."

"Let's just hope she comes back before we leave," Dawn said.

Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I hope so."

-----------------------------

"So what's everybody doing with their days off?" Matt asked. Matt, Jeff, Adam, Viveca, and Jason were having breakfast together in the hotel restaurant.

"Surfing," Adam answered first. "What else would I do?"

""Of course," Matt laughed.

"I'm going to visit family," Jason informed.

"Yeah, we're going home for a couple days too," Matt gestured toward himself and Jeff.

"I have a signing in Charlotte tomorrow," Viveca said.

"Really?" Jeff looked surprised.

She nodded.

"You should hang out with us after," Jeff suggested.

"And do what?" she raised a brow. "Is there even anything to do in Cameron?"

"I will have you know there is plenty to do in Cameron," Jeff said.

Viveca was skeptical of that statement but she smirked, "I'll think about it."

"I think you should go Viveca," Adam spoke up.

She looked over at him, confused. It wasn't like him to push her to hang out with Jeff, especially not without him there. It bothered her.

She shrugged, "I said I'll think about it."

-----------------------------

_A Few Hours Later..._

Chris sat on the plane next to Dawn, his head leaning back against the pillow the flight attendant gave him. He didn't feel right. He'd waited until the last possible minute to get on the plane. Some part of him was hoping that Taylor would show up. For the life of him, he couldn't understand how he'd become so invested in a complete stranger but he was. Something was obviously haunting Taylor. She was too young to seem so lost and alone. The look on her face when he woke her up the night before was something he would never forget. She looked..terrified. What had her so scared? What couldn't she let go of?

He briefly considered talking to Dawn about it but he knew what Dawn would say. She would say that he had to leave and that if he was meant to see her again, he would. And normally, he would be fine with that. But in this case, he didn't like doing nothing. He wanted to find Taylor, but it had to wait. He had some obligations to fill, but when he could, he would do something. He had to.

-----------------------------

"Are you ready yet?" John asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited near the door.

"I'm trying to find my sunglasses," Cory said, rifling through her bag. "Keep your panties on."

"I've been waiting for like 10 minutes," John sighed. "We're just going to get food. Jessica ordered it. It's gonna be cold by the time we get there."

"You've been waiting for _4_ minutes," Cory corrected. "And I'm looking for sunglasses, not putting on makeup and curling my hair, so chill."

He sighed again, rolling his eyes, "Just hurry up.

She raised her hand, giving him the finger while she searched through her bag with the other hand.

"Easy Princess," he smirked. "I'm not that kind of guy."

"Oh shut up," she said, finally pulling a black case out of her bag and pulling it open. She put on the huge black glasses and then picked up a set of keys.

"What are you doing with those?" he asked as she stepped into a pair of gym shoes.

"Nothing at the moment, but the plan was to use them to start the car," Cory said as they walked out of her room. "Hard to drive without them, ya know?"

"You are not driving," John said.

"_You_ certainly aren't," Cory insisted, pressing the button for the elevator. "I'd rather not die young thank you."

"I am not a bad driver," John insisted.

"You're right John," she smiled, walking onto the elevator as he put his hand out to make sure the door didn't close on her. "You're an insane driver."

"I speed a little," John shrugged. "So what?"

She rolled her eyes, holding her keys out to him, "Fine, drive. Just don't get us pulled over because if they take you in, I'm leaving you there."

"Such a wonderful girlfriend," John said. "I'm a lucky guy."

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. They rode the rest of the way in silence. John kept looking over at her. He couldn't tell if she was looking at him because of her dark glasses. She had to be one of the most irritating people he'd ever met and yet he was still going through with this plan. He was technically going out of his way to be around someone he couldn't stand. That just didn't make sense. They got off the elevator and Cory started toward the lobby.

"Why are you walking so fast?" John asked.

"Because that's how I walk," Cory said. "It's not my fault you have short legs."

"Just because I'm not built like a giraffe doesn't mean I have short legs," he argued.

"I haven't been called a giraffe in years," Cory said. "How does it feel to have the mentality of a sixth grader?"

"I don't know," John said. "You tell me."

She turned to face him, "Next time just say 'I know you are, but what am I?' It's just as mature."

"And you're the authority on maturity here?" he asked. "This from the woman who had an unplanned half naked catfight in ice water on live TV?"

"You know damn well that was not my fault!" she pointed.

"Kids, kids, why all the hostility?"

John prayed the voice he heard behind him was in his head. He could see from the look on Cory's face that his dreams weren't to come true. He turned to see Portia, self satisfied expression settled on her face.

"Something wrong?" Portia asked. "I could hear you two as soon as I got off the elevator."

"There's nothing wrong," John shrugged. "We were just talking."

"That's right," Cory shrugged. "Just normal conversation."

Portia laughed a little, "Yeah...right."

Portia walked away, obviously amused.

Cory shook her head, "Damn it."

John looked at her, "You know whose fault that was, right?"

She rolled her eyes, turning and walking away.

"What?" John followed her. "I'm just sayin..."

-----------------------------

"So, the way she sees it," Jeff said. "Love is just this terrible burden and it's nothing but heartache."

"Cant say she's _completely_ wrong," Adam shrugged. He had listened to Jeff talk about his dinner for a few minutes and he was convinced that matters of the heart caused more frustration than they were probably worth. All this time he'd been distancing himself from Viveca for Jeff's sake, he'd never considered that Viveca might

actually start to like Jeff. And he wasn't sure that she was. Adam still felt a connection between them. He could still see the way that she looked at him but...something was changing in her interaction with Jeff. She used to roll her eyes every time his name was mentioned. Now, she was hanging out with him after shows. This was what he'd wanted, right? He kept his feelings for Viveca quiet for Jeff's sake...so why was it starting to bother him that she didn't hate his friend? It was probably nothing. He was probably just tired so his brain was out of wack. His goal was to help his friend out, that was the right thing to do.

"I just don't get it," Jeff said. "How can you give up on something before you have it."

"Not everybody's a free spirit, let it be, let love rule hippie like you Jeff," Adam smirked.

"I am not a hippie," Jeff said. "I just think people should be open to things."

"Well, she said she'd think about hanging out with you guys this weekend," Adam reminded him. "That's open. A few weeks ago, she would've told you she'd rather drink a bottle of hot sauce."

"Was that your sad, pathetic way of trying to make me feel better?" Jeff asked.

"It was," Adam nodded. "Are you saying it didn't work?"

Jeff laughed.

"Seriously man, just don't worry about it. Don't put any pressure on yourself or her," Adam advised. "When you're just you and not worrying about impressing a girl, you're not so bad."

"Adam," Jeff gave him a serious look. "Do you have..more than friendly feelings for me?"

Jeff could only keep the straight face for a few seconds before he started laughing.

Adam balled up a piece of paper and threw it at him, "This is what I get for trying to help you."

-----------------------------

"So how are we supposed to fool Portia and Randy when we cant stop fighting?" Cory asked. She, John, Jessica, and Hunter were sitting in Jessica's room eating take out.

"Couples fight all the time," John shrugged.

"Yeah but they also act like they like each other when they're not fighting," Jessica said. "You two aren't so good at that."

"Well, as far as they know, you two just had a lovers' quarrel," Hunter said.

"Did you just say lovers' quarrel?" John asked. "Are you like 100 years old?"

"He's right," Jessica said. A smile spread across her face, "So you guys just need to make up."

"If that look on your face means you're thinking about some sort of public makeup kissy face thing, I vote no," Cory put a hand up.

"I second that," John raised his hand as well.

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," Jessica smirked.

"Not exactly?" Cory gave her sister a suspicious look. "What does that mean?"

"I think I know where she's going with this," Hunter said.

"Well does anybody wanna fill us in?" John asked.

"I think what you two need is some quality time together," Jessica smiled. "Alone."

"What the hell for?" Cory asked.

"To get to know each other," Hunter said.

"Why do we need to be alone to do that?" John made a face.

"Because you just do okay?" Jessica said, rolling her eyes. "Cory, you said you wanted to meet James. I'm going to visit him in Boston. John, you have an apartment in Boston."

"Your point?" John waited.

"My point is that the two of you can stay there together for a few days," Jessica elaborated.

"You expect me to stay at _his_ place?" Cory stared.

"You want me to let her in my house?" John asked.

"She's right," Hunter said. "It's a good idea."

Cory gave Hunter a knowing look.

"It is," Hunter insisted.

"You actually think John and I can be in the same house for days and not kill each other?" Cory asked. "Because if there is a weapon within reach, I _will_ hurt him."

"I might be forced to push her out the window," John added.

"You guys don't even know each other well enough to dislike each other so much," Hunter said.

"We don't?" they asked in unison.

"No, you don't," Jessica said. "Now stop being difficult."

Cory shook her head, "I'm not doing it."

Jessica looked over at Hunter, "She always has been a brat."

"Surprise, surprise," John rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up," Cory faced him.

"Don't tell me to shut up," he said.

"Don't be annoying," she sneered at him.

They continued to argue, neither of them seeing Jessica get up and walk around the couch to stand behind them.

"You know, we wouldn't have such a hard time with this if you weren't such an ass all the time," she said.

"Oh yeah, because you being crazy has nothing to do with i-"

They were cut off when, without warning, Jessica reached forward and grabbed them both by the ear.

"Ow!" Cory squeaked.

"Jessica, this is _not_ _funny_," John gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Now..how are you two spending the next few days?" Jessica asked.

"Together," John said, teeth still clenched.

"Yeah, yeah, happy couple time," Cory said. "Just let go. That hurts damn it!"

"Good," Jessica smiled letting them go. They both glared at her, rubbing their ears.

She shrugged, going to sit back down, "I knew you'd see it my way."

-----------------------------


	11. Chapter 11

**Well peeps, the next chapter is here. Hope ya like it. And thanks so much for the great reviews, they're inspiring. Read, Enjoy, & Review!**

**Chapter 11...**

"How many bags do you have?" John asked as he and Cory brought in three of her suitcases.

"Just one more," Cory said, dropping the bag she was holding on the floor next to the other two. "I'll be right back."

"She's never been very good at packing light," Jessica said, sitting on John's couch.

"I can see that," John said, plopping down in his favorite chair across from the TV. "Jessie, you know we're gonna kill each other by the end of the day, right?"

"Oh come on, you're giving up before you even try," Jessica said. "Have you two ever actually talked to each other for more than 10 minutes?"

"We don't have time to, somebody always starts a fight," John said.

Jessica laughed, shaking her head, "You know, I'll be honest with you, when I first met Cory, I couldn't stand her."

"When you met her?" John asked, a little confused.

"I didn't know she existed until she was almost 8," Jessica explained. "I was 14. One day my mom came home from work and told me she had a surprise for me. She said I had a little sister and that I was going to meet her soon. The next week, my mom took me to her house."

"And you didn't like her?" John asked.

"God no," Jessica laughed, shaking her head. "It's horrible because she was a sweet kid and she tried so hard but I was kind of a hard ass."

"You? A hard ass?" John smirked.

"Oh shut up," she made a face.

"So if she was a sweet kid, why didn't you like her?" John asked.

"We grew up _very_ differently. I lived in a one bedroom apartment with my mom working three jobs and we have to come to this house that looked like it was bigger than our whole neighborhood. That first day, we had to wait five minutes at the gates while security checked with the main house to make sure we were cleared to come in."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah," Jessica said. "Do you know who Jeanette Spencer is?"

John thought about it for a second before a mental image came to him, "Yeah, she did movies in the 50's and 60's, right?"

Jessica nodded, "And have you ever heard of Cambridge Oil?"

"Yeah, huge company out of Texas," John nodded.

"Jeanette Spencer and Martin Cambridge are Cory's grandparents," Jessica said. "They went through a nasty divorce when Cory's mother, Adelle, was really young and Martin had to cough up half of his money."

"Damn," John winced.

"315 and a half million," Jessica said.

"_Damn_," John said, amazed.

Jessica nodded, "_And_ he put 15 million in a trust fund for Adelle that she couldn't touch until she turned 21. So, Jeanette did a few more movies until the late sixties and she retired when Adelle was 9 so she could spend as much time with her as possible. She moved back to Detroit and then she met Stephen Caine."

"The Caine Computer Systems guy?" John asked, knowing that this story was soon going to involve even more money.

"At the time it was just Caine Steel," Jessica said. "But yes, that's the guy. They got married and moved to one of the biggest houses in the state. 10 years later they split but it was a peaceful one, they were still friends, and in the settlement she got another 30 million, plus a 3 million dollar trust for Adelle."

"So Cory's mom was worth like 20 million before she was even legal?" John asked.

Jessica nodded.

"She had Cory's sister Regina when she was 20. Then, 2 years later she married Ethan Samms and Cory was born. Ethan was one of the biggest film company owners in the country at the time. He was also 23 years older than her but he was practically a saint. Cory would gut somebody like a fish if she heard them say something bad about him. She had no idea he wasn't really her father until her 7th birthday. His son Ethan Jr. decided to tell her because he thought she was being a brat because she wouldn't let anyone play with one of her presents."

"How'd she take it?" John asked.

"She was pretty upset," Jessica said. "But Ethan made it clear to her that she and Gina were as much his as his two sons. He loved them to death. Obviously I didn't know him as well but he was always great to me. He was great to everyone who was around him and he was never one to lord his money over people. Honestly if he hadn't helped raise Cory, I cant imagine the kind of snobby bitch she would be."

"You saying that's what her mom is?" John laughed.

"Adelle is..interesting," Jessica said. "Anyway, like I said, I met her when she was almost 8. The family lived in New York, they just happened to be in Detroit when our mothers ran into each other. Cory had everything a kid could ever possibly want. She asked for it, she got it, without fail. It bothered me to no end. My mom kept telling me how she was my sister and and we were supposed to be equal but the only nice things I ever had were presents from Cory and Adelle. I tried to look past it but.."

"But all the privilege got to you?"

Jessica nodded, "Until Ethan got sick. They found out he had prostate cancer. By the time the doctors caught it, it was too late. The whole family was devastated but it hit Cory the worst because she was the closest to him. Mom and I flew out to New York and when I went in Cory's room she just fell apart. She couldn't stop crying and I didn't know what to do. So I just hugged her. A few hours later we were at the hospital and Ethan passed away. The next few days, I was the only person Cory would talk to. After that, we just had a different relationship. When she started to recover from losing Ethan, I made a real effort to get to know her and I realized we were a lot alike. Granted I didn't get to meet with my own private decorator to redo my bedroom once a year but it didn't matter to me anymore. She's great. She's funny, she's caring, she doesn't walk around telling people she's worth like 25 million."

"What?" John stared.

Jessica smirked at John's surprised expression, "When Ethan died, he was worth 109 million. Half went to Adelle and the other half was split up between his kids. All four got a little over 13 and a half million. That combined with trust funds from her grandparents and some sound investments, she's worth about 25 now."

"And she still works?" John laughed. He just realized, his calling her Princess had taken on a whole new meaning.

"She barely touches that money," Jessica said. "Once when she was 18, she said she was gonna give it all away to charity. Adelle went nuts."

"So now she just doesn't use it?" John stared.

"She gives some to charity, she pays her rent, and has the occasional marathon shopping session," Jessica said. "But aside from that, no, she really doesn't use it. That's yet another thing that bothers Adelle."

"Her mom sounds fun," John laughed.

"When Cory turned 14, she moved in with her grandmother because she couldn't stand living with Adelle. She always had a new husband and she was always preaching to Cory about how she should act and what she should and shouldn't like," Jessica explained. "Cory was girly and all but she'd grown up watching sports with Ethan. She started watching wrestling with me when she was like 12. She wasn't the little debutante Adelle wanted. When I started getting into the business when I was 17, Adelle tried to make sure Cory wouldn't be around me so I wouldn't negatively influence her. I had to sneak around to see my own sister."

"She was that bad?"

Jessica nodded, "It was easier when Cory lived with Jeanette. Cory was happy, I got to see her, and Jeanette..Jeanette loves everyone and she'll always tell you that the only way to live is to follow your heart. Cory graduated high school early when she was 16 and had a choice between studying abroad for a year and starting wrestling training. She wanted to do both but she knew her mother wouldn't allow it. So Jeanette tricked Adelle into thinking Cory was doing a full year overseas studying when she really only did a semester and then came back and started wrestling school."

"Her grandmother sounds cool."

"She is," Jessica said. "God, you should have seen Adelle when Cory told her she wanted to be a wrestler. It was not a pretty scene. Cory was so young and decided that wrestling was what she wanted to do with her life. The only time Adelle ever broke a sweat in her life was to give birth so she didn't really get it."

"So, has her mom ever had a job?" John asked.

"She worked for her father once and for her stepfather another time," Jessica said. "Then she didn't work for years. She married a few more millionaires and got a few huge divorce settlements. Finally, about 3 years ago she opened a talent agency, models, actors, singers, you name it. If there's one thing Adelle knows how to do it's criticize people. She's got a lot of talent though. It's actually doing quite well."

"What's doing quite well?"

John looked up to see Cory come in with a gym bag over her shoulder.

"Nothing," Jessica shook her head.

"Sorry it took me so long," Cory said. "My mother called freaking out about something."

"Something?" John asked.

"I try not to listen to her," Cory shrugged. "It keeps my stress level down. So, what'd I miss?"

John shook his head, "Not too much."

-----------------------------  
Viveca walked out the back door of the building and spotted Jeff leaning against his car. He waved when he saw her and she waved back, wondering why she'd called him. Just before her signing, she called and accepted he and Matt's offer to hang out with them in Cameron. He offered to pick her up and she accepted that as well.

"Where'd the limo go?" she looked around the parking lot. "My bags were in the trunk."

"The driver had an emergency," Jeff explained, opening the car door for her. "Your stuff is in the trunk."

"He just left?" she asked, irritated. She got into the car, placing her purse on the floor.

"His son was sick, so I told him to go," Jeff said before he closed the door.

"Oh," she relaxed a little. Jeff got into the car and started it, looking over at her, "So, how was it?"

"Not too bad," she shrugged. "There were some really cute kids."

"Always good," Jeff pulled out of the parking lot.

"So, exactly how long is this drive?" she asked.

"About an hour and a half," Jeff said.

"You mean I have to ride with you for an hour and a half?" she smirked. Surprisingly enough, the idea of it wasn't as off-putting as she used to think.

"Yes ma'am," he smiled.

Viveca put her seat belt on and looked out the window as they rode in comfortable silence. Then, she heard the opening bars of The Eagles 'Life In The Fast lane'.

"I love this song," she said, putting a hand over her mouth in embarrassment when her voice squeaked.

Jeff laughed, turning the volume up, "So do I."

-----------------------------  
John locked the door after Jessica left. He looked over to the couch where Cory was sitting with her legs folded under her, her blue eyes focused on the TV. She was wearing a Ninja Turtles t-shirt and a short denim skirt, her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail and her sunglasses resting atop her head. He had to admit, she looked..cute. Very cute.

_I hope she cant read minds_

-----------------------------  
Cory looked up at John and caught him staring at her. At least it _seemed_ like he was staring at her. Maybe he was looking at something behind her. That was probably it. It made more sense. She looked at the time on the cable box underneath the TV and saw that they only had a few hours to work on this whole 'getting to know each other' thing before they had to go to James' house for dinner. If they were going to get this done, they needed to get started. She stood up, "So..where's the bedroom?"

He looked confused, as if he wasn't sure how to take the question.

She rolled her eyes, "I want to get my bags out of the middle of the living room."

"Wait..so now I have to give up my bedroom?" he asked.

"I'm sure as hell not sleeping on the couch," Cory said. "That thing looks older than I am."

"I will have you know that this is the most comfortable couch in the world," John said, plopping down on the slightly worn brown couch. "Besides, I don't have time to shop."

Cory looked around the sparsely decorated apartment, "Obviously.

It was actually a nice place, aside from the lack of decor, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"The bedroom's down that hall Princess," John pointed, putting his feet up on the coffee table and changing the TV channel.

"Aren't you gonna help me?" she asked.

"Help you what?" he smirked.

"With the bags," she pointed.

"I helped you get 'em upstairs didn't I?"

"Yes you did, now will you help me get them into the bedroom?" she asked, trying her best to keep from starting an argument.

"Anything you say dear," he sighed, getting up and picking up most of the bags. She picked up the two he couldn't get and led the way down the hall toward his room. She opened the door, surprised at what she saw.

"My God, your room is actually clean," she smirked, putting her suitcases down beside the bed.

"Yeah well, women don't like men with sloppy bedrooms," John shrugged.

She looked over her shoulder at him, "I had no idea blowup dolls were so picky."

-----------------------------  
Taylor looked around the studio apartment. It was so small she felt like she was living in a closet and so far, nothing worked. She was just going to have to live with it since she'd given the landlord the last of her money. She filled out an application at the restaurant down the street and the manager hired her right away. She was supposed to start in two days. She hated waiting tables but she was good at it and beggars couldn't really be choosers. She dropped her bag on the floor and sat beside it, wondering how she was going to do this. She ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. She thought about Chris and the look on his face when she left. She'd never had that hard of a time leaving someone before and she barely knew the guy. What was wrong with her?

"So many ways to answer that question," she laughed, shaking her head. Once she started working and got a little money under her belt she was going to have to find a way to get it to Chris to thank him. But that would have to wait. Right now she had an 'apartment' with nothing in it.

-----------------------------  
"You probably shouldn't be allowed to sing in public," Viveca laughed after she and Jeff finished butchering Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'.

"You loved it," he accused.

"Of course," she laughed. "I'll be first in line to buy your debut album."

"If you're nice, I'll even sign it for you," he offered.

"Ooh, talented _and_ generous," she smirked. "No wonder you have so many fans."

"My singing wasn't _that_ bad," Jeff insisted.

"Sure it wasn't," she giggled. She looked at the clock on the dashboard, shocked to see that they'd already been on the road for an hour. It hadn't felt anywhere near that long. She and Jeff had been singing along with the radio and joking around the whole time. "Is your brother as bad as you?"

"Much worse," Jeff laughed. "Looks like it didn't take as long as I thought."

Viveca looked up and saw that they were pulling into the drive of a very nice house.

"This is your house?" she asked.

He smiled at her surprised expression, "Yup. Not the farmhouse you were expecting, huh?"

She opened her door, getting out of the car, "Not quite."

Jeff turned off the car and got out, popping the trunk. Viveca started to pick up a bag but he stopped her, "I got it, you go ahead. "Matt's inside so the door should be open."

She smiled, enjoying the chivalry, she hated carrying her own bags.

She walked up the paved walkway and pushed open the door.

"Matt?" she called, looking around the house. The outside didn't exactly look like Jeff but the inside certainly did. The house was filled with interesting sculptures, paintings, and other odds and ends. It was definitely weird but not in a bad way.

She kept walking through the dining room, living room, and kitchen. In the kitchen there were large patio doors that led into the backyard where she could see a large pool. She frowned when she saw smoke blowing through the air. Concerned, she rushed out onto the deck.

"Hey V."

Just to her right she spotted a huge barbecue grill. Matt, clad in swimming trunks, was dropping meat onto the grill.

"Hope you brought a bikini and an appetite," Matt smiled. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Jeff walk outside, looking confused.

"What's this?" Jeff asked.

"Some of the family is coming by," Matt explained.

"When was that decided?" Jeff asked.

"While you were gone," Matt shrugged. "I picked up a bunch of food. Norah's coming by to help cook."

Jeff looked over at Viveca, "Well, you in the mood for a family party?"

She shrugged, "Do I really have a choice?"

-----------------------------  
"You're not big on being on time are you?" John asked, standing outside of his closed bedroom door.

"Relax, if Jessica said we have to be there at 7 it really means we have to be there between 7:30 and 8:00," Cory said through the door.

"What?"

"She usually lies by at least a half hour for things like this," Jessica said. "I have a tendency to be a bit late if it's not work related."

"Obviously," he laughed. He decided not to rush her any further. They had managed to get along pretty well for a few hours while they tried to learn things about each other. They mostly just talked about past relationships to get a feel for how they should act with each other to make it convincing.

After another minute she finally came out of the bedroom.

"I had to pick the right dress," she said. "How'd I do?"

As far as John was concerned, she'd made the perfect decision. She was wearing a short, very dark blue silk dress with sleeves that went a little past her elbows and very high heels. Her long hair was full of curls and she wore smoky makeup around her eyes. She looked good. Damn good.

"Not too bad I guess," he shrugged, looking away before he started to stare.

She walked past him into the living room and picked up her purse, pulling out a tube of clear lip gloss, "So, before we go, I need to let you in on something."

"And what is that?"

"Part of why we're going to this thing is that Hunter and I need to check out this Jake guy."

"James," John corrected.

"Whatever," she finished applying her lip gloss. "Anyway, Hunter finally admitted that he wants Jessica."

"He did?" John asked, surprised. "We've been friends for years and he wouldn't tell me that and he told you after knowing you for like 3 days?"

"Apparently I'm more persuasive than you," Cory shrugged. "Anyway, we have to get James out of the way to make room for Hunter. "

"Do we have a plan?" John asked.

"Not yet," she said. "This is more of a fact-finding mission."

"Well, I'm in," John shrugged.

"Good," she smiled.

"Ready to go?" he asked, offering his arm.

She gave him a look.

"I'm trying, okay?" he laughed.

She looped her arm through his as they walked toward the door. He picked up his keys and put them in his pocket as they walked out.

-----------------------------  
Hunter rang the doorbell and waited, hoping he had the right place. Jessica had given him directions to the townhouse but she didn't seem terribly sure about them. After a few seconds the door opened and Jessica smiled at him, "Hey, you made it."

"Yeah, you didn't get me lost," he smirked as she hugged him. She took his hand, leading him inside and he took the opportunity to stare at her. She was wearing a tight black knee length dress with thin straps and strappy black heels. Her black and red hair was curled loosely and then pulled into a low ponytail. He wasn't exactly sure why Jessica wanted everyone to dress nicely for a dinner at James's house but he was certainly enjoying her wardrobe choice.

"James will be here soon," she explained as they made it to the living room. "He got caught up at work but he promised he wont be too late."

"And John and Cory?"

"I told Cory 7:00," Jessica said. She looked down at her thin silver watch, "And it's 7:30 now. They should be here any minute."

Hunter laughed, "So she's always late like you?"

"Pretty much," Jessica laughed. "Must be in the genes."

She sat on the couch and he sat beside her, hoping that Cory and John got there soon. It was increasingly difficult to be alone with Jessica.

"Hunter," she took his hand. "I really wanna thank you for coming to this dinner."

He shrugged, "It's no problem."

-----------------------------  
"So since he lost the bet, he had to put on my prom dress," Norah explained. "But we couldn't get it on him."

"It's not my fault I have more hips than you Norah," Jeff laughed.

"We have tons of pictures of us trying to get it on over his head or trying to pull it up over his legs," Norah laughed. "I'll have to show 'em to you sometime."

"I'd _love_ to see them," Viveca smiled, laying on a lounge chair.

"She doesn't need to see those," Jeff said.

"What's the matter Jeff?" Viveca asked. "You gettin' all shy on me?"

"Uncle Ray, how are the steaks coming?" Jeff avoided the question.

"Not bad kid," his uncle called. "There's a few done in that tray over there."

"Finally," Matt stood up.

"Hold on," Ray held up the pitchfork her was using to turn the meat. "Ladies eat first. Norah, you go inside and tell your aunts the food's almost done."

"Okay," Norah got up, walking toward the patio doors.

Viveca looked around at the various members of the Hardy family spread out around the pool area. Most of the people outside were men, except for her and Norah. The entire family was warm and welcoming. They'd all hugged her when they met her and told her it was nice to have her there. Jeff and Matt's 19 year old cousin Norah was by far her favorite person she'd met. Norah was a bubbly blonde college student with one of the thickest accents Viveca had ever heard. They'd bonded quickly. She was also enjoying the volume of embarrassing stories about Matt and Jeff that the family was more than willing to share. It had been a very long time since she was around such a big happy family. For a moment, she thought of her own family.

"You okay?" Jeff asked, gently bumping her shoulder with his own.

She looked up at him, "I'm great, why?"

"You just looked..different for a second," he asked.

She shook her head, deciding not to think about anything even remotely depressing. She was having a great time and she didn't want anything to ruin it.

"I'm good," she insisted. "I'm waiting for your dad to break out some baby pictures."

"Over my dead body," he said, giving a warning look to his father who was sitting in a chair near the grill, talking to his uncle. "You hear that dad?"

His father laughed, waving him off and then going back to his conversation.

"It's getting really hot out here," Viveca fanned herself with her hand. She was clad only in a bikini and a skirt but the summer heat combined with the grill made her feel overdressed.

"You know the best way to cool down?" Jeff smirked, standing up.

She gave him a suspicious look, "What?"

He extended his hand to her and she tentatively took it. Then, before she even knew what was happening, Jeff had her up on his shoulder. She squeaked, laughing and trying to wriggle free.

"Jeffrey Nero Hardy, you put that poor girl down," one of his aunt's demanded as she came outside.

"I'm about to, don't you worry," Jeff laughed as Viveca tried to get out of his grasp. Viveca tried to tell him to put her down but she was laughing so hard she couldn't get the words out. They got to the edge of the pool and she reached down, smacking him hard on the butt.

"Oh now you're definitely going in," he laughed.

Then, he jumped into the pool and Viveca found herself under water. She came up quickly, laughing and pushing her hair out of her face. She was going to have to get Jeff back for that. She looked around for him but he hadn't come up yet. She started to feel a little panicked and looked around.

"Jeff!" she yelled his name, then she screamed when she felt hands on her shoulders. She turned and he was behind her, laughing.

"That was not funny," she playfully slapped his chest.

"I'm sorry, were you worried about me?" he asked, smiling.

She shook her head, giving him an exaggerated glare, "No."

"I got y'all some towels," Norah came up to the edge of the pool.

Jeff helped Viveca out and then got out after her.

"Thanks Norah," Viveca smiled, drying herself off.

"You wanna come help me make the salad?" Norah asked Viveca. "We need to have _something_ at this barbecue that's not gonna make us gain 20 pounds."

"Nonsense," Norah's mother said. "The both of you could use a little more meat on your bones."

Norah laughed, shaking her head, "You coming?"

"I cant cook," Viveca shook her head.

"Anybody can make a salad," Norah insisted.

Viveca shrugged, "If you say so."

-----------------------------


	12. Chapter 12

**Just for being so great with your reviews so far, I'm giving you another update tonight. I really hope you like it. Read, Enjoy, & Review!**

**Chapter 12...**

"So why exactly isn't this guy here?" Cory asked, sitting in the kitchen of James' very nice townhouse, eating banana chips she found in the pantry.

"He had to work later than he expected so he told me to just let myself in," Jessica explained. "He's bringing food with him."

"He better bring something good," Cory rested her chin on her hand. "So what does he do?"

"He's a financial consultant," Jessica explained.

"That sounds exciting," Cory rolled her eyes, eating another chip. Jessica was too busy looking for something in the refrigerator to see the gesture.

"So, what was it like hanging out with John?" Jessica asked, getting out two bottles of water.

"I wouldn't call it hanging out," Cory shrugged, as her sister opened one of the bottles and handed it to her. "We were just sitting around talking. But it was..not too bad."

"Not too bad?" Jessica smirked.

"Don't get all excited, we didn't kill each other, it doesn't mean we're in love," Cory said.

"But it means you're a step closer," Jessica smirked.

Cory shook her head, "You need help."

-----------------------------

"Who shows up late to their own dinner party?" John asked, looking at the items on the mantel in James' living room.

Hunter shrugged, "Got me. Jess says he got tied up at work."

"Well he better be bringing some steaks with him," John said. "We haven't eaten all day."

"What did you guys do while you were at your apartment?" Hunter asked.

"We just talked," John shrugged. He laughed a little, "She told me about this one guy she dated that used to try to bring his mother out with them."

"Nice," Hunter laughed. "So you guys didn't fight?"

"Nope," John shook his head. "I was surprised, it was actually kinda ni..not horrible."

"You were about to say nice," Hunter accused.

"No I wasn't," John insisted. "Why would I say that?"

"I don't know, you tell me," Hunter smirked.

John sat down on the couch, "I don't know what you're talking about."

-----------------------------

"I'm surprised she came," Matt said, looking over at Viveca who was talking and laughing with Norah and her mother.

"Me too," Jeff said. "But I'm glad she did."

"Believe it or not," Matt smirked. "I think she is too. You might actually have a shot little brother."

"I don't wanna get too far ahead of myself," Jeff smiled. "Adam said I should just relax."

"I've been telling you that forever," Matt said. "But Adam says it and you listen?"

Jeff laughed, "Sorry."

-----------------------------  
"I'm so glad we could finally meet you," Norah smiled. "We've heard a lot about you."

"You have?" Viveca asked, surprised.

"Oh yeah," Norah's mother, Lucy, nodded. "And of course we always watch the boys on TV so we've seen you a lot."

"Well I hope you're fans," Viveca smiled.

"Of course we are," Lucy insisted. "Any friend of Matt and Jeff's is alright in my eyes. Especially a pretty, single one."

Viveca felt herself blushing a little, "You know, Jeff has quite a crush on you."

"Momma, I don't think Jeff would want you telling her that?" Norah said.

"Oh I'm sure she already knows," Lucy laughed. "Jeff's not very good at hiding things."

"I had a feeling," Viveca shrugged.

"How do you feel about him?" Norah asked. "And don't worry, we wont tell him what you say."

Viveca laughed, "You know, honestly..I'm not sure."

-----------------------------

"I say five more minutes and we go get McDonald's," Cory whispered to John as they sat on the couch. Hunter was sitting on the loveseat and Jessica was standing near the fireplace, looking at her watch.

"I'm in," John responded. "I saw one on the way here."

"What are you two whispering about?" Hunter asked.

"Nothing," they both answered quickly.

"I'm sure he'll be here any minute," Jessica assured everyone.

"Have you noticed that like _everything_ in here is white?" Cory whispered to John.

John nodded, "It's a little weird. And there's no TV in here."

They heard a key in the lock and Cory was momentarily disappointed that she wouldn't be getting McDonald's fries. They all stood up as the man of the hour rushed into the apartment with two bags full of takeout. Cory looked him up and down as he apologized to Jessica for being late. He was probably about 6' give or take an inch, kind of pale with brown hair and brown eyes. He wasn't bad looking, he was just kind of..average.

"James," Jessica smiled as everyone stood up. "I'd like you to meet my sister Cory, John Cena, and Hunter Levesque."

"Nice to meet you all," James said, shaking hands with everyone while Jessica took the food into the kitchen.

"Weak handshake," John whispered in Cory's ear, putting his arm around her shoulders. She nodded in agreement.

"Are you two...?" James gestured back and forth between John and Cory.

"They're quite the happy couple," Hunter confirmed.

"Yup," Cory put an arm around John's waist. "Couldn't be happier."

_1/2 Hour Later..._

"So, how long have you guys been dating?" John asked as everyone ate their dinner, everyone except Cory, who was pushing her food around on her plate and eyeing it suspiciously.

"About three months," James answered, drinking from his wine glass.

"Really?" John asked. "And we didn't hear about you until just now?"

"Don't you find that a bit odd James?" Cory asked.

He looked like he wasn't sure how to answer the question.

Jessica gave Cory a look, "I was just waiting for the right time to tell you all."

"Interesting," Cory said, picking up some food with her fork and then deciding against it, setting the fork back down.

"How did you meet?" Hunter asked.

"Well, this is a pretty funny story," James leaned forward, showing the most enthusiasm he had all night. "I was going to a Dudley Boyz signing with my nephew and I didn't even know Jessica was gonna be there..."

"This ought to be good," Cory whispered.

John laughed a little, then took a drink to hide it.

"So I asked her to sign a picture for me after I introduced myself and...get this..."

"Here it comes," Cory whispered.

John choked on his wine and Cory patted his back, trying to look loving instead of amused.

"She signed _Jimmy_ instead of _James_," James laughed, looking around the table expectantly. Cory downed some more wine in lieu of a fake laugh. John's expression didn't change at all and Hunter just looked confused.

"It's probably funnier if you were there," Jessica suggested.

"No, I really doubt that," John whispered to Cory and this time she laughed, causing her wine to go down the wrong way. He patted her back, rubbing it gently, "You okay baby?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm good."

-----------------------------  
"That's the last of them," Jeff laughed, waving out the door as Matt backed out of the driveway.

"That was so much fun," Viveca smiled. "Your family is great."

"Yes they are," he nodded. "You and Norah seemed to hit it off."

"I _love_ Norah," Viveca smiled. "I cant believe someone that cool is related to _you_."

"Do you wanna get tossed in the pool again?" he threatened.

"You wouldn't dare," she glared.

"You're right," he said, closing and locking the door. "But only because I'm too tired and full."

"I'm with you," she said. "I cant remember the last time I ate that much."

"I think my aunts are on some sort of mission to put some weight on you," Jeff laughed.

"I think I look healthy," she put her hands on her hips.

"You look great," he smiled at her as they walked into the living room. "They just have a tendency to over-nurture everyone. They think _I_ need to gain weight."

She laughed, "Well, you could use a little."

"Oh thanks," he said, picking up a t-shirt from the back of the couch and putting it on.

"I'm kidding," she laughed.

"Sure, sure," he smirked, walking into the kitchen. She followed and they ended up out on the patio again. It was dark and the air had cooled significantly. He laid on one of the lounge chairs by the pool and she got on another.

"So," he sighed. "I realized earlier today, I've never heard you talk about your family."

Viveca sighed, looking up at the sky, "I don't really like to."

She could feel him looking at her as he asked, "Why not?"

"It's a long story," she sighed. "I don't wanna go into it."

"Well, if you ever do wanna talk about it," he said. "I'm here to listen."

She looked over at him and felt a smile touch her lips, "Thanks."

-----------------------------  
John thought he was going to fall asleep on Cory's shoulder as James talked. He truly had to be the most uninteresting man in the world yet somehow, he seemed to think he was hilarious. What was Jessica doing with someone like him?

Cory was looking down at her nails. He'd noticed her yawning several times. Even Jessica looked bored.

"You know James, I bet you have to get up really early tomorrow, don't you?" he asked.

"5 or 5:30," James nodded.

"We do too honey," Cory said. "We have uh..that thing."

"Right," John nodded. "We have to be there at 7."

"It is getting pretty late," Hunter looked at his watch. "As fun as this has been, it might be time to call it a night."

"You guys whimping out on me already?" James asked.

John stood up, taking Cory's hand and helping her up, "Yeah, this one needs to get to bed. I don't want her to be cranky in the morning."

"It's true, I'll snap at him," Cory laughed, picking up her purse. "Nice meeting you Joe."

"James," he corrected.

"Right," she pointed. "Sorry."

"See you tomorrow Jessie," Cory hugged her sister.

"Thanks for coming guys," Jessica hugged John, then Hunter.

"It was great meeting all of you," James said as they walked toward the door. "We gotta do this again soon."

"Yeah, definitely," John lied, opening the door. "See you guys later."

They walked down the stairs and towards John's car.

"God that was like torture," Cory said once the door closed behind them.

"What is Jessie thinking?" John asked.

"God only knows," Cory shook her head. "Can we go to McDonald's? I didn't eat anything."

"Yeah, no problem," John said, as they reached the car. He opened the door for her and just as he did it, he realized they were still holding hands. He let go quickly and her hand hit the car door.

"Ouch!" she stared at him.

He winced, "Sorry."

-----------------------------  
"So you know where everything is, right?" Jeff asked.

Viveca nodded, "I think so."

Jeff had walked her upstairs and was helping her get settled in the guest room.

"I'll scream if I need you," she smirked.

"See you in the morning," Jeff gave her a wave before turning to walk out of the room. Viveca unzipped her suitcase to find some pajamas when she saw something large and furry dart across the floor. She nervously looked around, praying she was seeing things. She had seen Jeff's animals and that definitely wasn't one of them. Then she saw it again, more clearly this time. She screamed, jumping up onto the bed.

"Jeff!" she yelled.

Jeff was at the doorway in seconds looking concerned, "What? What's wrong?"

"There's something in here!" she pointed, her arm shaking. "I don't know what it is but there's an animal in here!"

"What?" he came into the room, looking around. "The dogs don't usually come in here."

"That was no dog," Viveca shook her head.

"Well what is it?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said, her voice much higher than usual.

"Well I can't do anything if-"

Viveca saw it again and screamed, pointing, "There it is, there it is, there it is."

"Where?" Jeff said, still confused. "How would it get in here?"

"How the _hell_ should I know? I don't live here!" she squeaked.

Jeff sighed, getting down on his knees and looking under the bed.

"Be careful!" she said.

After a few seconds, he got up, "I don't see anything."

Then Jeff jumped, "Shit!"

They both looked into the corner of the room and Viveca screamed when she saw a raccoon.

Jeff slowly walked toward the animal, speaking softly, "It's okay buddy..I'm not gonna hurt you..We just wanna help."

He reached for it and the animal came at him, it's teeth latching to Jeff's pant leg.

"Oh my God!" Viveca shrieked as Jeff tried to shake it off. "Let him go!"

Not knowing what to do, Viveca grabbed a book from the nightstand next to the bed and launched it. Unfortunately, she had bad aim and hit Jeff in the thigh.

"Ouch!" he yelled, staring at her for a second before concentrating again on trying to get his pant leg away from the raccoon. Frantic, Viveca grabbed a bottle of lotion out of her bag and threw it. Once again, she hit Jeff.

"Will you stop throwing things at me?!" Jeff yelled.

"I'm not throwing them at you, I'm throwing them at the raccoon!" she defended herself. She got another bottle, this time of perfume.

"Viveca!" he yelled. "Put it down!"

"Okay, okay," she dropped it onto the bed. "What should I do?"

"Just stay up there," Jeff said, his voice a little shaky. "I can handle this."

-----------------------------

"There better not be any suspicious stains on this bed," Cory said as John helped her fold down the covers.

"Oh shut up," he said, tossing the t-shirt she had laying on the bed at her. She caught it and gave him a triumphant look. She was almost ready for bed wearing only a very short pair of red shorts and a black tank top. She was biting down on her toothbrush as she took her hair out of it's ponytail and ran her hands through it. He couldn't help but notice how good her body looked. It was the closest thing to perfect he'd probably ever seen. He couldn't believe he was thinking it but he was. She crawled onto the bed, making sure the fitted sheet was snugly on the mattress and John found himself staring at her ass. He tore his eyes away, rubbing a hand over his face.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

She got off of the bed, walking into the bathroom.

-----------------------------  
Cory finished brushing her teeth and then washed her face. Once that was done, she started brushing her hair as she did every night.

"We did pretty good fooling James tonight," she heard John talking in the bedroom.

"Yeah we did," she agreed. "Although, for a financial consultant, he didn't seem like the brightest bulb."

John laughed, "You're right. But I think Jessica was right, the more we work on this, the better we are."

She put her brush away and opened the door, "Yeah my sister has a way of being right about thi..."

She trailed off as she stepped into the room and saw John taking off his shirt. He had his back to her and his muscles flexed as he pulled the shirt off over his head. She involuntarily bit her bottom lip as she watched him. He could be annoying as all hell but he she couldn't deny that he was all man. Tall, handsome, built man. She shook her head, realizing the thoughts she was having.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" she whispered to herself.

"What?" John turned around and Cory found herself without words.

"Huh?" was all she could muster.

"Nevermind," he laughed.

Cory regained her composure, "Um..I was just saying that Jessie is usually right...just don't tell her I said that."

"I'll try not to," John laughed. "So..is there anything else you can think of that we need to do?"

Cory tapped her finger against her chin, trying to think of something. They were both quiet for a little while.

"If I suggest something," John spoke up. "Will you promise not to get mad or think that I _want_ it and that it's not just for the sake of our act?"

"Depends on what it is," she arched a brow at him.

"Well, at some point you and I are gonna have to...we're gonna need to um..kiss each other," he said, running a hand over his hair, not meeting her eyes.

"Try to _what_ each other?" she stared.

"Nevermind," he shook his head, turning to walk out, obviously embarrassed.

"No, wait," Cory felt a little guilty. "You're right...we should at least try...as long as you know that this is in no way for pleasure."

"Obviously," he laughed. "It's the last thing either of us _wants_ to do."

"Right," she nodded as he stepped closer to her.

She moved forward until they were merely inches apart. She looked up at him but neither of them moved.

"Well...do it," she said.

"Do it?" he repeated. "It's not like I'm punching you in the face Cory. You kind of have to put forth some effort here."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine."

-----------------------------

John slowly leaned down, knowing he wasn't going to enjoy this. He pressed his lips against hers quickly and then they both jumped away.

"Why'd you jump?" he asked.

"You did it too," she pointed.

He sighed, wondering how long this was going to take. They stepped together again, "Okay, let's try this one more time.."

Cory squared her shoulders as if she was going into battle as he leaned down. Their lips touched and John's brain told him to pull away. He started to but then something about the softness of her lips called him back. He kissed her again, quickly. This time, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. To his surprise, she moved forward and their lips met again. John wasn't sure what was happening but his body reacted before his mind had time to figure it out. He deepened the kiss, running a hand through her hair. Her hands were on his chest and her lips parted. Their tongues touched for a second before they both pulled away, staring at each other.

"Oh my God," she put a hand over her mouth.

"I'm gonna...I...I'm going to bed," John turned quickly, leaving the room, She closed the door behind him and he saw the light go out. This certainly wasn't how he expected the night to end.  
-----------------------------


	13. Chapter 13

**So I just have to say, you're all fantastic. Thank you _so_ much for the great reviews!! I wish I could hug you all. But since that would be a little weird, not to mention impossible, I'm putting up two new chapters. I hope you all like them. Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 13...  
**  
_Monday_

"A raccoon?" Cory laughed, nearly falling off the equipment trunk she and Dawn were sitting on. Viveca just recounted her story to Cory and Dawn and both women were laughing hysterically.

"It is not funny," Viveca insisted. "That thing was scary."

"Come on V, you know that's funny," Dawn laughed.

"You two are horrible people," Viveca pointed.

Dawn and Cory tried to stop laughing, leaning on each other for support.

"Sorry," Cory breathed. "Okay, we're done now."

Dawn nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Viveca said, laughing a little herself. She couldn't deny that being on the outside, the situation was pretty hilarious.

"So aside from the attack of the killer raccoon," Cory laughed. "How was your time in Cameron?"

"It was great," Viveca smiled. "The next day Norah and I went shopping and then I took Norah to get a new haircut. Then we came back and ordered a pizza and watched movies with Matt and Jeff. The day after that Jeff showed me a lot of his art and then he showed me the volcano he built in his backyard.

"He has a volcano in his backyard?" Cory asked. "Why is that not surprising?"

Viveca laughed, "He has a lot of weird stuff in his house but I don't know..I had a lot of fun."

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Dawn looked over at Cory.

"Oh yes," Cory nodded. "Definitely."

"_What_ are you two talking about?" Viveca asked.

"Viveca Bonham, I do believe you're starting to cave," Dawn smiled.

Viveca's mouth dropped open, "I am _not_."

Dawn and Cory smiled, "Sure."

"What did _you_ do while you were in Boston?" Viveca asked.

"Nothing," Cory answered quickly.

Viveca and Dawn both eyed her.

"What?" she looked back and forth between them. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Something happened with John, didn't it?" Dawn asked.

"Ew, no," Cory shook her head.

Cory hoped they just let it go. Teasing Viveca was fun, having the tables turned on her: not so much. After the kiss, John and Cory had avoided each other like the plague until Thursday when Cory and Jessica flew to New York so Cory could spend some time with her dogs.

"You're lying," Dawn accused. If anyone knew when she was hiding something, it was Dawn.

"No I'm not," Cory insisted. She got down off the trunk, "I have to go find Randy."

"Mmhmm," Dawn smirked.

Cory glared at her best friend, "I'll see you guys later."

-----------------------------  
John walked out of the locker room, opening a bottle of water. He was tired after a weekend of restless nights. He normally slept like a baby at home but after the kiss he shared with Cory, he couldn't sleep through the night. He kept waking up after having dreams that were _definitely _not congruent with his dislike for Cory. He drank some of the water and then, as if his thoughts had conjured her up, Cory walked around the corner. She was looking down at her cell phone and didn't seem to notice him until she was only a few feet away. She stopped when she saw him and it was immediately apparent that she felt as awkward as he did.

"Hey," he said, turning his hat backwards.

"Hey," she ran a hand through her hair, not quite meeting his gaze.

"How uh..How are you?" he asked, putting his hands in his pockets, cautiously stepping closer to her.

"Good, good," she nodded. "I was looking for Randy."

"I don't know if he's here yet," John said. "I haven't seen him."

"Oh," she nodded. "Okay."

"So..." he said, debating whether or not he should bring up what happened.

"Yeah," she sighed, wringing her hands. She shook her head, "This is too weird."

"Yes it is," he agreed.

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged. "We were knocking back wine to keep ourselves from smothering James with a throw pillow, we were a little tipsy when...you know."

"When that happened," John nodded. "You're right. If we were sober, it wouldn't have happened."

"Right," she laughed a little. "Never would have happened."

John wasn't exactly sure if that was true but it seemed right.

"So we're cool then?" he smiled, still feeling awkward.

"As cool as we can be," she nodded. "You know since there's _nothing_ between us."

"Nothing at all," John smiled.

John was about to say something else but before he could, Cory put her hands on the sides of his face and pulled him into a kiss. John froze at first, not sure what to do. He didn't want to kiss her back. He really didn't want to kiss her. One of his hands found a way into her hair as if it had a mind of it's own.

_Okay maybe I wanna kiss her a little_

-----------------------------  
A squeak escaped Cory's mouth when John deepened the kiss. She hadn't expected that. She opened her eyes, checking to see if Portia and Randy were still there. She saw Randy going around the corner. Once the couple was gone, she put her hands on John's chest to push him away. For some reason though, as he kissed her, she found it hard to do. After a few more seconds, she got her wits about her and pushed John away, wiping lip gloss from under her lip.

John stared at her, confused, "Are you schizophrenic?"

"Portia and Randy were coming this way," Cory explained.

He still looked confused.

"The last time Portia saw us we were yelling at each other in a hotel lobby," Cory reminded him. "I had to make sure there was no question in her tiny little mind that we were made up."

"Well could you let me know you're gonna do that next time?" he asked.

"What was I supposed to say?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "They were right there."

"Whatever, just give me some sort of a sign or something before you do that again," he said.

"I'll do that," Cory said. "As long as you try not to put your tongue in my mouth again."

"You started it," John pointed.

"I started the kiss," Cory said. "_You_ started the tongue."

"No I didn't," he glared.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yeah you did."

"No I did-"

"Hey!"

They turned to see Hunter looking at them, "What the hell is wrong with you two?"

"He started it," Cory pointed.

Hunter shook his head, "You're like four year olds. I feel like I should put you in time out."

Cory crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at John out of the corner of her eye.

"Sorry," John said.

"Yeah, yeah," Cory sighed.

"Have you guys seen Jessica?" Hunter asked.

"Last time I saw her, she was on the phone with Prince Charming," Cory rolled her eyes.

"You gotta make a move man," John said. "I'll jump off a bridge if I have to hang out with that guy again."

"Did anybody else notice his sweaty palms?" Cory asked. "That was gross. It felt like he put his hand in a bucket of water before he shook mine"

"He's obviously a loser," Hunter said. "The guy almost fell off the couch laughing at his own story."

"I was hoping he would," John said. "It would have been the only funny thing he did all night."

"After seeing that you _have_ to know you have a chance with Jessie," Cory said. "I mean, come on, the guy is a troll."

"A troll that she seems to be interested in," Hunter said. "I cant exactly change that."

"Sure you can," Cory said. "You just have to show her that you're the better option. Make yourself impossible to resist."

"She's right," John nodded.

"I am?" she looked over at him, surprised.

"This time."

-----------------------------  
Adam looked up from the magazine he was reading when he heard loud laughter. He spotted Viveca walking with Matt and Trish. She was half ready for the show. Her makeup was done but her hair was still in rollers. She was wearing a lacy pink top and gray sweatpants. He had been thinking about her a lot lately. He found himself thinking about all the times she'd tried to talk to him and he avoided her. His hesitance was a mistake. A big one. He only hoped he hadn't waited too long.

"Viveca," he called her name and she stopped, smiling at him. She said something to Matt and Trish and they walked away while she came over to him.

"Hey Adam," she smiled. "What's up?"

"Not too much," he shrugged. "You look great."

She laughed a little, "You like the rollers? I was thinking of keeping them in for the show."

He smiled, "Oh yeah, you'll start a new trend."

"I certainly hope so."

"So..." he felt a little awkward. "How are you? I haven't talked to you that much lately."

"I'm good," she smiled. "Really good. How was surfing?"

"Great," he nodded. He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay," she waited.

"Well, not too long ago you um..you wanted to talk to me about something," he said. "I was just wondering what it was."

She frowned for a second, thinking. Then she shrugged, "I don't really remember...I guess it must not have been that important."

"You're sure?" Adam asked.

She nodded, "Sorry...If I remember, I'll let you know."

Adam nodded, not sure what to say at that point.

"I gotta go finish getting ready," she said. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," he said. "Later."

-----------------------------  
Viveca felt guilty as she walked away from Adam. She knew what he was referring to but she had to pretend she didn't. Her feelings for Adam hadn't disappeared but they were...muddled. She was attracted to him yes, but something was changing. She needed time to think about things before she tried to discuss her feelings with him. She needed to know exactly what they were.

-----------------------------  
"Hey kid," Mark asked, walking into the locker room. John was sitting eating a quick pre show meal. "Do you ever stop eating?"

"Every once in a while," John shrugged. "I gotta maintain this body."

Mark laughed, shaking his head, "Where's Cory?"

"Vince wanted to talk to her and Portia about something," John said.

"So I hear something happened with you two this weekend," Mark sat down on a bench across from him.

John choked on his food, coughing. He hit himself in the chest a few times and Mark sat and watched, his suspicions confirmed.

"Where did you hear that?" John asked, his face a little red.

"From Dawn," Mark answered. "She said Cory got all antsy this morning when Dawn made a joke about you two being alone this past weekend."

"Why would she get antsy?" John asked. "Nothing happened."

"John, don't lie to me," Mark said. "I like you. I don't want a reason not to."

"I'm not lying," John said quickly.

Mark gave him a stern look.

"Okay fine, we kissed," John admitted. "But it was just a little ki-"

"I really don't need the details," Mark put up a hand. "But I have to make something clear."

"What?" John looked a little nervous.

"Before this goes any further...you need to know something," Mark said. "The minute you that your little act becomes more, you're not just dealing with Cory anymore. You're dealing with me."

John smiled, "Trust me, you don't have to worry about that."

"You saying she's not good enough for you?" Mark asked.

"No, no, that's not it," John shook his head. "Cory's beautiful and all but we just...that's not gonna happen. Ever."

Mark nodded, "Just be careful."

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," Cory rushed into the room, practically bouncing, her smile stretching from ear to ear.

She hugged Mark tightly then jumped up and down clapping her hands.

"What happened?" John laughed.

"Portia and I have a match at Summerslam," Cory squealed.

"That's great," John smiled.

"Vince said that originally they were gonna wait but he decided that Summerslam would be the right time," Cory beamed. She started jumping again and then she hugged John.

He wrapped his arms around her, "Congratulations."

The two hugged for a few seconds and Mark was starting to feel like he was invisible. He cleared his throat and John looked up at him. Mark gave him a pointed look before he left the room. He was pretty sure the other man got his drift.

-----------------------------  
_1 Hour Later..._

**RAW**

The show returned with John Cena, Portia Kelly, Ric Flair, Cory, Randy Orton, and Batista in the General Manager's office with Eric Bischoff.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I asked you here," Eric said.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Portia asked, eyeing the Evolution members suspiciously.

"Well, I wanted to inform you that tonight, John Cena, you will be taking on one of the members of Evolution," Eric announced. "Ric Flair."

"Why just one?" John asked. "I'll be taking on all of them anyway. You know they cant function alone."

"Watch your mouth kid," Ric pointed.

"Hold on, I'm not done," Eric smiled. "This match will have a special _twist_."

"What's the twist?" JR asked.

"There will be a very special guest referee tonight," Eric smiled. He took Cory's hand, "The lovely Corinne Flair."

Cory smiled at John and Portia.

"What?" John stared.

"You cant let her be the referee," Portia argued. "You've gotta be kidding."

"Not at all," Eric shook his head. "But don't worry, I trust that Cory will call the match _right down the middle_."

Cory smiled sweetly, "Of course I will. You have nothing to worry about."

-----------------------------  
_Later..._

"Was he really that bad?" Dawn asked, applying her blush. Cory was in the bathroom changing into her referee's outfit, talking to Dawn and Mark through the door. Everyone was curious about Jessica's new boyfriend and Cory couldn't talk enough about how much she disliked him.

"Worse," Cory laughed. "I wanted to jump out the window."

"Did you tell Jessie you didn't like him?" Mark asked.

"I'm pretty sure she could tell," Cory said. "Seriously guys, he doesn't deserve her."

"Well there isn't anything we can do," Dawn said. "If Hunter's too scared to make a move, he cant complain that she's with someone else."

"He's not scared," Cory said. "He's just...cautious. But John and I are trying to give him the push he needs."

"You and John, huh?" Dawn smirked.

"Don't start Dawn, please," Cory sighed. She walked out of the bathroom wearing a black and white striped shirt that tied just under her breasts and a pair of black leather shorts. "Okay...What do you think?"

Mark let out a loud sigh, "Who the hell do I have to pay around here to keep you covered up?"

"Oh stop," Cory rolled her eyes. "I like this outfit."

"What outfit?" Mark asked. "You might as well be wearing a bikini."

Cory walked over to Mark, hugging him, "Mark, you're like the big brother I'm not sure I ever wanted."

"Don't hug me when you're all half naked," he laughed. "It's just not right."

"What? It's not like I'm rubbing my boobs on you," Cory laughed.

"Please don't say boobs to me," Mark said, mussing her hair.

"Speaking of boobs, Dawn you look _fantastic_," Cory walked over to her friend and helped her fix her hair. "Doesn't she Mark?"

"She always looks great," Mark said.

"Thank you," Dawn gave Cory a look. She loved Cory like a sister but sometimes she just wanted to put a muzzle on her. She still seemed to have trouble accepting the fact that Mark and Dawn weren't together and weren't going to be.

"I'm gonna go find John," Cory said, giving Dawn a quick hug. "I'll see you two later."

-----------------------------

**RAW**

"Ladies and gentlemen this has been an interesting match thus far," JR said as The Dudleys took on La Resistance in a tag team match. La Resistance's manager, Viveca LeVeaux, leaned against the security barricade, filing her nails, looking bored beyond comprehension. Jessica Dudley stood on the other side of the ring cheering on her brothers enthusiastically.  
"The ladies are certainly showing how they feel for their teams," JR said as the camera did another close-up on Viveca filing her nails. She briefly looked up at the match and then when she saw that her team had the upper hand, she turned her attention back to her manicure.  
"Hey, Viveca's excited, she's cheering on the inside," King laughed.

When Bubba Ray finally started to overpower Rene Dupree, Viveca put her file away, getting closer to the ring.

Rene whipped Bubba into the ropes and Viveca reached out with both hands, tripping Bubba and causing him to fall flat on his face. The referee didn't see the interference. Rene pulled his opponent up and executed a hard DDT, pinning the other man for the 3 count. Viveca clapped excitedly, smiling from ear to ear. Jessica and Devon slid into the ring to check on Bubba.

Viveca used her fingers to hold up an 'L' at the defeated team.

"I don't think that was a good idea," King said as an angry Jessica slid out of the ring, heading straight for the shorter woman. Viveca took off like a shot to get away from the former Women's champ but Jessica was right behind her. They went around the entire ring until Viveca slid under the bottom rope. Jessica followed her in and swung at the other woman. Viveca ducked, showing uncharacteristic athleticism.

"She's quicker than you'd think," King laughed.

Then, Viveca slapped Jessica hard across the face.

"Oh my!" JR exclaimed, surprised as the sound of the slap traveled through the arena. Jessica stumbled back, holding a hand over her face. She recovered after a few seconds and ran at Viveca but the referee got between them, preventing the catfight.

"Get out of the way!" King yelled. "Let them fight."

The Dudleys got up and each got a hold on Jessica while La Resistance got control of Viveca as the show went to commercial.

-----------------------------  
"Could you have slapped me a little harder V?" Jessica asked, rubbing her face when they got backstage.

"I'm sorry Jess," Viveca sighed. "I'm just distracted."

"Distracted by what?" Jessica smirked. "A certain colorful highflying wrestler I know?"

Viveca nodded, "And don't you dare tell anyone."

"I wont tell," Jessica said. "But I thought you liked Adam."

"I did," Viveca said. "I do I just..."

Jessica waited for further explanation. She'd always known Viveca to be very confident and sure of everything she did. She'd never seen Viveca having trouble articulating. Jeff was really having an effect. It was really cute.

"There's just something about him," Viveca said. "Or maybe I'm just going crazy..who knows?"

Jessica laughed, "You're not crazy. You just have a crush."

"On Jeff?" Viveca laughed. "I wouldn't go that far."

-----------------------------


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14...**

**RAW**

"Ladies and gentlemen please welcome, being accompanied by Randy Orton, the referee for this match..._Cory Flair_."

Cory strolled down to the ring, looking amused at the crowd's negative reaction. Randy lagged behind her, enjoying the view.

When they reached the ring, Randy held the ropes open for her and she climbed in slowly. Randy posed briefly for the cameras.

"Could this kid be more full of himself?" JR asked.

"Look at him, JR," King said. "He has every right to be full of himself.

Randy sat up on the turnbuckle and Cory stood in front of him as they waited for the participants in the match to make their way to the ring.

"And look at her," King marveled as Randy put his hands on Cory's shoulders.

"I don't think you have a chance King," JR said. "She seems pretty happy with your good friend the Legend Killer."

Cory smiled proudly when Ric Flair's music began and the Nature Boy made his way to the ring.

"I'm sure she's gonna be _real_ impartial," JR said with disdain as Ric entered the ring and smiled at his daughter.

"Why wouldn't she be?" King asked.

"Didn't you see Evolution vowing to make Cena and Portia pay last week?" JR asked.

"Well yeah but that doesn't mean she's gonna be a bad referee," King laughed.

John Cena's music began and the crowd went wild as he came out onto the ramp.

"Cena looks pretty fired up," JR said as he made his way down to the ring with Portia behind him. They both got into the ring and John played to the crowd while Portia glared at Cory. The women in the crowd cheered as Cena pulled his shirt off and tossed it into the crowd.

Portia got in Cory's face and the two women glared at each other. They were talking but couldn't be heard over the crowd.

"Looks like Cena's not the only one fired up," King laughed as Cory motioned for Portia to get out of the ring.

Once Portia got out, Cory turned to Randy and the Legend Killer gave her a kiss before exiting the ring. Ric handed his robe to Randy and then Cory signaled for the bell to ring.

_5 Minutes Later..._

"This is ridiculous," JR spat as Cory bent down to tie her boot and Randy pushed John Cena's limp frame back into the ring. He'd just pushed him into the ring post. "Orton has been interfering in this match since the damn bell rang and she's had her back turned every time!"

"What do you expect JR?" King asked. "Her father's the dirtiest player in the game."

"The apple obviously hasn't fallen far from the tree," JR said as Cory stood up in time to see Ric pull the younger man up and hit him with a hard chop across his chest.

Fed up, Portia jumped up onto the ring apron, yelling something at Cory. Cory came up to the ropes and once again, the women argued. Cory rolled her eyes and turned to walk away.

"Uh oh," King said as Portia grabbed the other woman's arm. Cory turned around and slapped Portia across the face. Furious, Portia slapped her back.

Cory stumbled back a few steps, putting a hand over the spot the other woman hit. Then, she smiled, climbing out of the ring. She walked over to Lillian Garcia and snatched her microphone away.

"What is she doing?" JR asked.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she smiled. "The winner of this match as a result of a _disqualification_..._Ric Flair_!"

"Flair?!" JR asked. "What?"

"Portia hit the referee," King said. "That's interference. She got John Cena disqualified."

Portia was in the ring, standing next to John. She looked almost rabid as she yelled at Cory who was smiling as she and Randy entered the ring, each taking one of Ric's hands and raising them high. Cory gave Portia a thumbs up mouthing 'Good Job'.

"I don't think I've ever seen Portia look this angry," King said. She and John Cena both looked annoyed at the loss but Portia was seemingly affected more.

The Evolution members started to make their way out of the ring with Cory going last. Before she could get out, Portia ran at her, tackling the brunette. Cory managed to push Portia off and they both made it back to their feet. Portia ran at Cory again but this time the new diva caught her with a knee to the stomach. Portia fell to the mat, struggling to crawl away.

"That shot knocked all the wind out of Portia," JR said.

Cory backed up a few steps and then ran at Portia, kicking her hard in the stomach. She backed up, ready to repeat the action but this time when she ran toward Portia, John Cena stepped in front of her, shaking his head. Cory reared back to slap him but he caught her wrist, backing her up. Then, Ric Flair raced back to the ring and chopped Cena in the back of the knee before he could hurt his daughter. Then, Randy came into the ring and the two younger men faced off. Portia ran at Cory again and the two women brawled alongside their men. Cory grabbed the bottom of Portia's shirt, trying to subject the other woman to the same treatment she suffered the week before. Randy and John continued trading punches with Ric occasionally getting in the mix.

-----------------------------  
_After the show..._

"I'm an idiot," Adam said as he and Jason walked out to their rental cars.

"Yes you are," Jason nodded. "What'd you do this time?"

"I tried to talk to Viveca today," Adam said.

"About what?"

"The same thing she's been trying to talk to me about," Adam sighed.

"And?"

"And she had nothing to say," Adam said. "She said that it must not have been important. Then she ran off, probably to talk to Jeff."

"Man, you are an idiot," Jason laughed.

"Thanks J," Adam rolled his eyes. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

"What do you want me to say?" Jason asked. "You had a chance...And a part of me feels bad for you but another part of me is happy for Jeff. He's my friend too."

"Yeah but I just.." Adam tried to find a nice way to say what he wanted to say. "I just don't see how a woman could choose him over me.

"Dude," Jason stopped walking. "Jeff is your friend."

"I know he is," Adam insisted. "I'm not being mean."

"You're getting dangerously close," Jason warned. "Don't be a sore loser, alright? Jeff's a good guy. And all the time that Viveca was more interested in you than him, he never said anything bad about you."

Adam sighed, "Speak of the devil."

He nodded to his left and Jason saw Viveca and Jeff laughing as they walked out of the arena.

Jason shrugged, "Sorry man."

-----------------------------

"This has got to be the most horribly paved lot in the free world," Viveca laughed as she and Jeff jumped over potholes and huge cracks in the pavement on their way to the car.

"You may be right," Jeff laughed. Viveca was trying to get past a particularly large crack but she tripped, wrenching her ankle. She almost fell but Jeff caught her swiftly, lifting her up into his arms.

She winced at the pain, holding on to him as he walked toward his rental car. He dropped his jacket onto the trunk of the car and then set her down gently.

"Look at you being all chivalrous," she smirked, wincing again when her foot moved.

"I guess I have a little knight in shining armor in me somewhere," he shrugged, undoing the strap from her shoe that went around her swelling ankle. He looked up at her, his green eyes meeting hers, "I'm gonna try to take your shoe off. This might hurt a little."

Jeff slid the stiletto off and Viveca was surprised. It hurt, sure, but something about the gentle way Jeff was handling her made it hurt less.

"Try to roll your ankle a little bit," he instructed, his hand on the back of her leg.

She shook her head, "It hurts too much, I cant."

"Can you try for me?" he looked up at her again.

She sighed, trying to move her ankle. The moment she did, she gasped, shaking her head again, "It hurts."

"Okay, come on," he motioned for her to put an arm around his neck. She did and he lifted her into his arms once again. "We'll get you back to the hotel and check it out."

-----------------------------

Randy strolled down the hall, looking down at his watch. He was just coming from the bar after having a drink with Portia. He wasn't quite tired enough to sleep and he briefly considered going to the gym for a while. It wasn't too late. His plans quickly changed though when he saw Cory standing in front of the door to her room. There was an ice bucket on the floor next to her and she was clad only in a tiny pair of black shorts and a pale pink tank top, her light brown waves pulled up into a high ponytail. She must have just been out for a quick run because she wasn't even wearing shoes. He walked at a leisurely pace, enjoying the opportunity to survey her body. She was absolutely gorgeous. And so was he. Whether she was with John or not, he knew she wouldn't be able to turn him down too many more times. He could have any woman he wanted, he couldn't see why she didn't seem flattered by his interest in her. She probably just hid it better than most women. He still wasn't convinced that she and John's relationship was real so he was sure it was only a matter of time before he got what he wanted. He watched as she put her keycard in the door and then frowned. She tried one more time with the same result. Randy smiled to himself, maybe this was his chance.

"Need some help?" he asked, walking up to her.

"No thanks," she smiled politely. "I think I got it."

She tried to keycard again, frowning when the red light flashed, denying her entry.

She sighed, looking up at him, "Okay maybe I could use some help."

"There's a trick to this," Randy smirked, standing behind her, 'inadvertently' brushing himself against her as he took the card from her. "You slide it in, then wait a few seconds, then slide it out slowly...it works better that way."

He placed one hand low on her hip, using the card in the other. He smiled smugly when the green light flashed and he pushed her door open.

"Thanks Randy," she nervously moved away from him, picking up her ice bucket and placing it inside her door. She'd obviously understood the significance of his words. She also seemed very aware of the hand that he still had resting on her hip. She looked down at it and then back up at him, "Was there..something else you wanted?"

"You could say that?" he smirked, running his finger along the top of her shorts.

She took a step back, causing his hand to fall, "Randy, you realize that I have a boyfriend, don't you?"

He nodded, "I realize that you _say_ you do but you and John don't seem to make a very good couple. You and me though..we're obviously attracted to each other. Why not do something about it?"

She rolled her eyes, patting his chest, "Maybe some other time cowboy."

She went to walk into her room but he stepped in front of her, "Oh come on..he's good enough for you but _I'm_ not?"

Cory looked annoyed, "Aren't you supposed to be friends?"

-----------------------------  
John walked out of his room and stopped when he saw Randy and Cory. She was trying to get into he room and he was standing in front of her. John could see from the way she was dressed that he must have caught her coming back from getting ice or something. He knew it was his duty as her fake boyfriend to stop Randy from hitting on him but the more this went on, the more it genuinely annoyed him when he saw Randy hitting on Cory. He wasn't sure he even wanted to know why. He shook it off, deciding not to think about it any further. He walked toward them, smiling a little when he saw Randy quickly back away from her.

"Hey baby," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "What's going on here?"

"I don't know," Cory shrugged. "Randy, why don't _you_ tell him?"

"Nothing," Randy shrugged. "I'm gonna get going. I'll see you guys later."

Cory waved, "Night Randy."

-----------------------------

"Are you _sure_ it's not broken?" Viveca asked as Jeff wrapped a bandage around her ankle. "I think it's broken."

"Viveca, for the last time, it's not broken," Jeff smirked, finishing up. "You twisted it. That's _all_."

"Fine," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.

"Don't get mad at me because I wont let you milk a twisted ankle," he laughed, still kneeling in front of her.

"Shut up," she slapped his shoulder, laughing a little. "You're no doctor."

"I know enough to know you're fine," he smiled. "I guess I should get going, you should be okay now."

Viveca didn't really want him to leave but she didn't want to argue. It still amazed her how quickly her opinion of him was changing.

She smiled at him, beginning to feel a little sleepy after the Tylenol he'd given her for the pain, "Thanks for helping me."

"No problem. Just stay off this thing," he said, lightly touching the heel of her foot. "You don't wanna make it worse."

She smirked, "I'll be good, I promise."

"Good," he nodded. He didn't move right away and Viveca found herself studying the features of his face. She didn't know how it had taken her so long to see how incredibly good looking he was. Before she knew what she was doing, Viveca leaned forward, kissing him. He seemed surprised at first but he responded quickly, kissing her back. She pulled him closer to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt his hands in her hair and on her neck and she pulled his shirt, their tongues tangling together. She moved forward, never wanting what she was feeling to end.

-----------------------------

"Thanks for saving me," Cory smiled at John. After Randy left, she and John came into her room and made a point of putting a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the doorknob. Now, they were sitting on her couch, watching TV.

"I'm supposed to be your boyfriend," he shrugged. "It's my job."

"I could have handled him myself," she insisted. "But you know, I appreciate your stepping in."

John shook his head, laughing.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said.

"No, what?"

"You just _had_ to point out that you could have handled it," John smirked.

"I could have," she shrugged.

"You are so stubborn," he smiled.

"Oh like you're not," she laughed.

"I didn't say I wasn't," he said. "But you might be worse than me."

"Can I have the remote?" she asked. It was on the opposite arm of the couch, out of her reach.

"You can get it yourself," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, leaning over him to get it. At first she couldn't reach so she had to put one of her legs over his.

He nudged her leg, causing her to lose her balance a little. She turned, finding herself straddling him.

"Jerk," she pushed his chest.

"You're the one that got on top of me," he smiled.

"To get this," she picked up the remote. She was about to hit him with it but he caught her wrist.

"Nice try," he smiled.

As John looked into her eyes, Cory found herself very aware of their position.

John reached up, brushing her hair out of her face. His hand lingered on her cheek and she felt her heart skip a beat when his thumb brushed against her bottom lip. Cory couldn't remember the last time she'd felt such a strong urge to kiss someone. His hand gently moved over her neck and she knew that she needed to move but she couldn't seem to bring herself to do it.

John leaned forward and Cory could clearly hear her sharp intake of breath when he softly kissed the side of her neck. He trailed his lips up to her mouth and Cory offered no resistance. She put her hands on his shoulders, a moan escaping her as the kiss grew more and more passionate. Then, she felt his hands sliding under her shirt.

-----------------------------

Cory snapped awake, sitting up, breathing heavily, "What the hell..."  
She ran her hands through her sweat drenched hair and leaned back against the headboard. "Oh..my..God."  
She had just had a dream about John. _John Cena_ of all people. She shuddered at the thought, getting up and walking into the bathroom to wash the thoughts out of  
her head.  
-----------------------------  
Viveca nearly rolled off the bed when she woke up, praying she had been imagining the dream.  
"Wait a minute...you cant imagine a dream," she buried her face in a pillow. She couldn't believe that she'd just dreamt about kissing Jeff. What was the world coming to?

----------------------------- 


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, here's the next chapter. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 15...**

The Next Morning...

"You know, I would think that by now you'd try to pack the night before we leave and not the morning of," Cory shook her head, folding some of Dawn's clothes.

"I thought about it," Dawn shrugged. "But then I started watching TV."

Cory shook her head, "I've already checked out and put my bags in the car."

"Well aren't you an over-achiever?" Dawn made a face.

"No, I just don't like to miss flights," Cory smirked. "We have to be at the airport in an hour."

"We'll get there on time, I promise," Dawn insisted.

"You haven't even showered yet," Cory said. "And you _know_ how long you take in the shower."

"Okay _maybe_ we'll be a little late," Dawn winced.

"Just get in the shower woman," Cory instructed. "I'll finish packing."

"Thank you, thank you," Dawn gave her a quick hug.

"Yeah, yeah, go," Cory waved her friend away. Dawn rushed into the bathroom and Cory continued folding.

-----------------------------

Jessica lightly knocked on the door to Hunter's room. They always rode to the airport together and she was coming to get him early to see if he wanted to go have breakfast. The door wasn't closed all the way and slowly swung open when she knocked. She walked in, seeing Mark sitting on the couch.

"Hey big guy," she plopped down on the couch next to him. "What are you doing in here?"

"You know how Hunter is about the housekeepers," Mark said. Hunter was always paranoid that he would leave a housekeeper alone in his room and then his personal items would end up on ebay.

"He called me in here because he wanted to take a shower and he needed me to keep watch," Mark explained.

Jessica laughed, "That sounds awfully pornographic."

Mark laughed, "You just _have_ to twist things, don't you?"

"It's a gift," Jessica shrugged. "So he's in the shower?"

Mark nodded.

Jessica smiled.

"Oh leave him alone," Mark said when he caught the mischievous gleam in her eye.

Jessica put a finger to her lips, shushing him as she crept toward the door. She couldn't hear the water running so he must have gotten out already. She put her hand on the knob and opened the door quickly yelling, "_Boo_!"

"Jessica!" Hunter yelled, spitting his toothpaste out and slamming the door. He had a towel on, she didn't catch a glimpse of anything she hadn't seen before. Still, the look on his face was enough to send her into a fit of laughter.

"You are a mean little girl," Mark laughed.

Jessica shrugged, "Cant help it."

-----------------------------

Chris looked at his phone, willing it to ring. He was hoping to hear from Taylor. He wanted to make sure she was okay.

"Hey Chris," Adam walked into the restaurant, waving at him.

Chris waved back and Adam walked over to his table, taking the empty seat, "What's up?"

Chris shrugged, "Not a whole lot. Just killing time before we have to go to the airport."

"And thinking about your little friend?" Adam asked.

Chris shrugged.

"Listen, don't get mad because I'm saying this as a friend," Adam said. "Maybe she was just using you for a place to stay for a few nights."

Chris rolled his eyes.

"It's a possibility," Adam insisted. "I mean, I know you were all mesmerized because she was pretty and helpless but maybe she was just a really good con."

"She's not," Chris shook his head.

"How do you know?" Adam asked.

Chris shrugged, "I just know."

-----------------------------

Hunter stalked out of his bathroom looking around for Jessica. He didn't see her anywhere.

"Where'd she go?" he looked at Mark who simply shrugged.

He caught the scent of vanilla and was about to turn around when she felt her arms around his shoulders, "You're not mad at me, are ya?"

"Yes," he said. "Yes I am."

"Oh come on, you know you love me," she rested her chin on his shoulder. If only she knew how close to the truth her words really were.

"Yeah I guess," he shrugged, reaching back to mess up her hair.

"Hey!" she laughed, hitting him on the back.. He turned around, catching her hand before she could hit him again. She hit him with the other hand and they started wrestling around. She was giggling and trying to get away but he was, obviously, much stronger.

"You two are such children," Mark shook his head.

Jessica sneered at him and stuck out her tongue, "_Are not_."

-----------------------------

John looked down at his ticket and then at the numbers above the seats as he boarded the plane. He sighed when he found the right seat. Cory was sitting in the window seat, sunglasses covering her eyes as she wrote something in a notebook.

"Morning Princess," he said, stashing away his carry-on bag. She looked up at him for a second and then back down at her book.

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking," he said, sitting beside her.

She still didn't say anything.

"Okay then," he sighed. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Good morning John," she said, still not looking at him.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Everything is just peachy," she said dryly, closing her notebook.

"Is it that time of the month?" he joked.

"Nope," she shook her head, looking out the window.

John stared at her, trying to figure out what was wrong. He was sure that 'time of the month' comment would provoke an argument. If she couldn't be goaded into a confrontation, something had to be wrong.

"Seriously, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm fine," John shrugged. "You just..acting kind of funny."

"No I'm not," she shook her head. "Now can you stop talking please?"

John put his hands up, "Fine..whatever."

-----------------------------

Cory bit her bottom lip, feeling a little guilty about snapping at John. She knew he didn't deserve such treatment but she was feeling incredibly uncomfortable after the dream she had. It was just..weird and _wrong_ and she was having a bit of a hard time getting past it. She tossed and turned all night after that. She could tell he was looking at her and she sunk further into her seat, staring out the window. She just hoped this flight went by fast.

-----------------------------

"So how do you think she feels about me?" Jeff asked. He was sitting between Dawn and Mark on the flight to Cleveland and he took the opportunity to gain a little insight.

"Jeff, she likes you, trust me," Dawn smiled. "You know, the other day she asked why you haven't had a girlfriend in a while."

"What'd you say?" Jeff asked.

"I told her you've been so hung up on her since she got here you haven't had a chance to even look at another woman," Dawn smirked, laughing at the look on his  
face. "Calm down Jeff, I'm joking with ya...I told her you hadn't found the right girl yet."

"Good," Jeff nodded.

"It's cute that you're so nervous," Dawn smirked.

"Yeah, it's adorable," Mark rolled his eyes. He was tired and the conversation was keeping him awake.

"I don't know what to do Dawn," Jeff said. "It seems like she's starting to like me but I don't know, she's kind of hard to read..Maybe it's just wishful thinking."

"Can you figure this out in Cleveland?" Mark asked.

"You're such a supportive friend," Dawn teased.

"She likes him, he likes her," Mark shrugged. "Just ask her out on a date and be done with it."

"I'm not sure if she'll say yes," Jeff explained. "She's so damn confusing."

Dawn smiled, "The best women are."

-----------------------------

_Later..._

"How did you get the room with all the booze?" Cory asked, looking through the mini-fridge in Dawn's room. "There wasn't anything in mine."

"Pure luck dear," Dawn smiled.

"Hey John, get me a glass," Cory said, pulling out a can of pepsi.

"Last I checked I wasn't your bitch," John grumbled.

"You're my _boyfriend_," she said. "Close enough."

"I wasn't your boyfriend when you were biting my head off earlier," he said.

"I was not biting your head off," she rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a baby."

"Don't call me a ba-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Dawn got up, standing between them. "John, get her a glass, _please_..And Cory, next time try to ask a little nicer."

"Fine," Cory rolled her eyes.

John got a cup and shoved it at her. She snatched it away quickly, "Big baby."

"Bossy little brat," he glared.

"Oh kiss my a-"

"Hey!" Dawn exclaimed. "What did I just say?"

Cory sighed, emptying her pepsi can into her glass and taking a sip, "Sorry Dawn."

John picked up his keys, "Sorry D...Can we leave now? We gotta get to the arena."

"Oh goodie, we're all riding together," Cory picked up her purse and drank more of her Pepsi before putting the glass down and walking toward the door. Once she walked out of the room, John looked over at Dawn, "What the hell is up with her today?"

"I don't know," Dawn frowned. "But I'm sure I can find out."

-----------------------------

"Hey Adam," Viveca smiled, putting down her bag of chips when Adam came into the catering area of the arena.

"Hey there," he said, sitting in the chair next to her.

"Jeff's sitting there," she winced. "He just went to get something to drink."

"Ah," Adam nodded, not looking terribly happy.

"You could sit across from me," she suggested.

"Thanks," he said, taking the seat she offered. "So...you and Jeff?"

"There is no me and Jeff," Viveca said quickly. "We're just friends."

"Whoa there," Adam put his hands up. "I was just going to say you seem to be getting along a lot better."

"Oh," Viveca relaxed a little. "Well..yeah...I guess we are."

-----------------------------

"So Vince decided to go with this whole Dawn Marie/Undertaker angle?" Glenn asked. "I wasn't expecting that."

"Neither was I," Mark said, lacing up his boots. "Dawn doesn't seem to excited."

"What'd she say?" Glenn asked.

"Barely anything," Mark said. "We sat down with Vince and Brock and she pretty much nodded and smiled the whole time."

"Then you don't know that she's not happy," Glenn said.

"I don't know why she would be," Mark shrugged. "More time with me doesn't seem to be at the top of her wish list."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Glenn said. "Do you see the way she looks at you?"

"Why do I get the feeling you're seeing something I'm not?" Mark asked.

"Just think about it," Glenn said. "Look at her, if Dawn wanted someone else, she could have him. Don't you think it's interesting that she hasn't even been on a single date since you broke up?"

Mark nodded. He had thought about that before but he didn't want to make too much of it. He didn't enjoy setting himself up for a fall.

"Don't give up hope," Glenn patted him on the shoulder. "You never know what can happen."

-----------------------------

"I just know this relationship is fake," Portia paced, shaking her head. "I can tell."

"I don't know," Randy sighed. "She turned me down last night. I think it's real."

"It doesn't _have_ to be real just because she wouldn't let _you_ get in her pants, Randy," Portia informed him. "Not every woman in the world is attracted to you."

"I know that," Randy insisted. He smirked, "Not every woman in the world has seen me."

Portia rolled her eyes, "Can you focus please?"

"Focus on what exactly?" Randy asked. "Your plot to prove they're faking?"

"Yes," Portia nodded.

"And what do we do if we find out they're legit?" Randy asked.

Portia frowned, "I hadn't thought about that."

-----------------------------

"Hey girls," Cory smiled, walking into Dawn and Jessica's dressing room where Dawn and Viveca were sitting, looking through WWE magazine. "What's shakin'?"

"Not much, just waiting for showtime," Viveca said. "How's the boyfriend?"

"Why does _everyone_ ask me that the second I enter a room?" Cory asked.

"Because he's your boyfriend," Dawn smirked. "_Duh_."

Cory laid down on the couch, ignoring Dawn's comment.

"Speaking of your boyfriend," Dawn said. "You were even snippier than usual earlier. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Cory answered. "Why does everybody keep asking me that?"

"Because you're tense," Dawn said. "And you, my darling, are not a tense person."

"Maybe I am and you just never noticed it before," Cory suggested.

"And maybe you're trying feebly to hide something from me," Dawn suggested. "Hmm...which is more likely?"

Cory sat up, running a hand through her hair, "I have a question."

"Shoot," Dawn waited.

"What would you think if you had a dream about someone. Someone that you're not even _remotely_ interested in..a dream of a.._sexual_ nature?"

"You had a sex dream about John?!" Viveca stared.

Cory rushed to the door, slamming it shut, "Could you have said that _any_ louder?"

"Sorry," Viveca laughed. "I was surprised."

"_You_ were surprised," Cory rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and pacing.

"It means you like him," Dawn smiled.

"Eww," Cory frowned. "You should have your mouth washed out with soap."

"It's true," Dawn insisted. "You may not want to admit it but your sub-conscious is obviously working over time. If you're having dreams about John, it's because in some part of your mind...you want him."

"What kind of a best friend are you?" Cory asked.

"The kind you'll love for the rest of your life," Dawn smiled.

Cory still looked disturbed, "I'm going to get dressed."

Before anyone could tease her any further, she was gone.

Viveca looked over at her friend, "Hey Dawn."

"Yeah?" Dawn smiled.

"Do you really think a dream about someone means you want them?"

-----------------------------

_Later..._

RAW

"Oh this ought to be good," JR groaned as La Resistance's music began.

"How can you sound so unhappy when we get to see Viveca?" King asked as the tag team champions made their way down to the ring with Viveca in tow.

"I didn't say _she_ made me unhappy King," JR said as Viveca walked up the ringsteps. .

"If you did I'd have to wonder about you," King laughed. "Whoa!" he yelled as the Dudleys' pyro went off.

"I bet you cant figure out who you like more can ya King?" JR laughed.

"Why choose?" King questioned. "I like em both!"

Jessica Dudley strolled to the ring in front of her 'brothers' and waited for them before walking up the ringsteps. She was clad in a black tank top and red camouflage shorts. Half of her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail and the rest hung around her shoulders as she stepped into the ring. The two ladies faced off and the ref signaled for the bell to ring.

"Watch out!" King exclaimed as Jessica lunged at Viveca. Viveca tried to run but Jessica caught her by her ponytail, slamming her down to the mat. Viveca shrieked at the pain and tried to roll away but Jessica grabbed her calf and pulled her back into the ring. The taller diva sat on Viveca's back and hooked her hands under the smaller woman's chin, yanking backward. Viveca screamed, scratching at Jessica's hands and trying to get out of the hold.

"Viveca's in a _bad_ way here King," JR said. "She doesn't have much experience in the ring at all and Jessica's a pro."

Realizing their manager might throw the match, the tag team champions ran into the ring.

"What is this?" JR asked.

Rene grabbed Jessica while Sylvan held off the other Dudleys. Rene held the struggling brunette by the hair, laughing as she swung at him and missed. He shoved her head between his legs and lifted her up, powerbombing her hard to the mat.

"Good God!" JR yelled.

"Jessica's gonna need some help out here," King said. The Dudleys got into the ring finally and the two tag teams faced off. Bubba and Devon tossed the other men over the ropes and then slid out after them.

Viveca stood up, a bright smile crossing her face when she realized Jessica was out cold.

"Oh come on," JR said in disgust. "This match is over. The referee already disqualified her!"

"She still wants to feel like she won," King said.

Viveca put her foot on Jessica's chest but the referee refused to count. She screamed something at him and he reluctantly got down on his knees and quickly counted the fall.

Viveca jumped up and down, excitedly clapping her hands in celebration of her 'win' while Bubba, Devon, Sylvan, and Rene continued to brawl on the outside.

-----------------------------

Taylor looked up at one of the TV's by the bar. Someone had asked the bartender to put Raw on and there was a crowd of men around that particular television. Taylor caught a glimpse of Chris on the screen and she felt a pang of guilt. She hated having to leave the way she did. He was probably worried. He seemed like the type of person that would worry himself sick over a stranger. She found herself wishing they'd met at a different time, in a different place. Maybe things would have been different...But then again, she was still the same person. She had the same problems. And no man wanted to put up with all of that. So perhaps her hasty exit was the best for both of them.

"Can I get my drink please sweet cheeks?" an older man leered at her.

She pasted on a smile, trying to resist the urge to slap him, "Comin' right up."

-----------------------------

Hunter stood watching as the trainer shined a light in Jessica's bright blue eyes. She was dazed, her hair hanging wildly around her face. The second she'd gotten backstage after her match Hunter had known something was wrong. He could clearly see on the replay that her head was the first thing to hit the mat when Rene powerbombed her.

"Jessica my dear," the trainer sighed, putting his light away. "Looks like you're out of action for a little while."

"What?" Jessica stared. "Why?"

"You'll need to go to the hospital tonight to be sure," he said. "But it looks like a concussion to me."

Jessica shook her head defiantly but Hunter could see that she was definitely hazy. She was swaying a little and her eyes were squinted.

"I mean it Jessica," the trainer said, knowing her nature. "I want you out of the ring for at least the next week. Maybe two."

"But-"

"Jessie, you don't have a choice," Hunter put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll strap you down if I have to."

Jessica looked up at him, still dizzy, "Huh?"

"Nothing," he laughed, putting his arm around her. "Nevermind."

-----------------------------

John heard a light knock on the open locker room door. He looked up, surprised to see Cory standing in front of him. She was ready for their match, wearing black shorts and a very small blue top. He was surprised, for the first time all day she wasn't looking at him like she hated him.

"Hey," she waved lightly. "Can I come in?"

John shrugged, "Why not?"

She walked in, tucking her hair behind her ears, "I um..I wanted to apologize."

"_You_ wanted to apologize?" John smirked. "To me?"

She nodded, "I've been mean to you today."

He gave her a look.

"Meaner than usual," she relented. "And you didn't deserve it like you usually do."

"Very nice apology," he smiled. "How could I not accept when you say it like that?"

"I mean it," she said, sitting down next to him. "Truce?"

He looked down at her outstretched hand and then up at the wry smile she offered him. Much to his dismay, he found himself wrestling with the urge to kiss her again. Instead, he shook her hand, "I'll let you off the hook, this time."

"Just this time?" she smirked.

He nodded.

"You know...this will be my first match with the company...I thought maybe you could give me some advice," she playfully bumped his shoulder with hers.

He smiled, "Somehow I don't think you need my advice. I'm sure you'll be fine."

She smiled, "Let's hope so."

-----------------------------

"Nice match," Jeff smirked when Viveca walked over and sat next to him.

"I barely did anything," she laughed. "But thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. "Listen..I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay," she rested her chin on her hand. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if maybe you would want to..go to dinner or something," he suggested.

"Dinner as friends or a date?" she asked.

He ran a hand through his hair and Viveca smiled at his nervousness. It was cute.

"A date," he said decisively.

She smiled, "A date?"

He nodded, "Well?"

Her smile widened, "I'll think about it."

-----------------------------

RAW

"This has been an interesting match thus far ladies and gentlemen," JR said as Corinne swung Portia by her hair. Portia yelled loudly as the wind was knocked out of her when her chest hit the mat. Corinne waited for Portia to get back up and then dropkicked her, taking her back down to the mat. Randy climbed into the ring and grabbed the ref, keeping him distracted as Ric walked over to the announce table and grabbed the ring bell.

"What is he doing?" JR asked.

Ric slid the bell in to his daughter and she picked it up, standing behind John Cena, who was watching Randy yell at the ref. She reared back as he turned around and clocked him, sending him to the mat.

"She just rung Cena's bell," King laughed.

Cory slid the bell back out of the ring as she and Randy both went for a pin, the youngest Flair pinning Cena and Randy pinning Portia. The ref counted the three and Corinne jumped up excitedly. Ric ran into the ring, embracing his daughter.

"Look at Randy!" King laughed as the camera showed Randy who had yet to move from his pin on top of Portia. Corinne stood, staring down at Randy, looking a little hurt. Finally, Randy got up and walked over to Corinne who climbed out of the ring before he could reach her.

"Looks like there may be trouble in paradise," JR said as the show went to commercial with Corinne walking up the ramp, looking back, confused, toward the ring.

-----------------------------

"Oh my God," Cory put a hand over her mouth as John walked through the curtain, a thin stream of blood trickling from his hairline. "Are you okay?"

John shrugged, "I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm so sorry," Cory said. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, really," John put a hand up.

"No, it's not okay," Cory insisted. She took his hand, "Come on, we need to get you checked out."

-----------------------------

RAW

"Oh I love it when Brock Lesnar comes to the ring JR," King said as Lesnar's music started and he came to the ring, accompanied by Dawn Marie. Brock jumped up onto the ring apron, his pyro exploding from the posts. Then, Dawn smiled brightly, walking up the ringsteps and holding the ropes open for him.

"Brock demanded this match last week and you gotta wonder if this has something to do with the bounty Triple H has placed on the Undertaker," JR said. "He's offering $50,000 to anyone who can make sure Undertaker doesn't make it to Summerslam."

"Who do you think the bounty will be on next?" King laughed. "First it was Goldberg, now it's Undertaker…maybe you're next JR."

"I wouldn't be surprised," JR said as Dawn and Brock stood in the ring, waiting for the Undertaker.

_10 Minutes Later_

"What the hell is he doing?" JR asked as Brock leaned out of the ring, signaling to Dawn. Dawn looked around, a little frightened.

"I don't think she's game King," JR said as Dawn shook her head at him.

"_DO IT_!" Lesnar yelled, pointing over at an empty chair near the bell. Dawn stared at him, wide eyed, still shaking her head. Undertaker, who had been taken down by a suplex off the top rope only moments before, climbed to his feet and stood behind Lesnar. He grabbed the other man, yanking him back into the ring and setting him up for the last ride.

"Looks like Brock's not getting that money tonight," JR said as the Undertaker made short work of him, pinning Brock for the three count. Undertaker rolled out of the ring as Dawn climbed in slowly. The lights went down as Undertaker's music played. 'Taker exited the ring and Dawn crawled in, though she seemed a little afraid to get near Brock.

"He cant be mad at her," JR said as Brock began to stir.

"Why not?" King asked. "She didn't help her man."

"She wanted him to win fair and square," JR argued. Brock slowly got up, stumbling a little thanks to The Last Ride. As he walked toward Dawn, she put her hands up, backing away from him. He started to yell at her, backing her into the corner and she sunk down to the mat, shaking her head, obviously trying to apologize. Brock grabbed her hair and dragged her to the middle of the ring. She screamed, struggling to get away from him.

"He is abusing an innocent woman!" JR yelled, outraged. "Somebody get out here and help Dawn Marie!"

As if he'd heard JR's plea, Undertaker, who had gone backstage, reappeared at the top of the ramp. He raced to the ring. When Brock saw the Deadman racing toward him, he let Dawn go and slid out of the ring, just as the Phenom entered. The show ended with Undertaker kneeling over Dawn Marie as she stared upset and frightened, up the ramp.

-----------------------------

_That night…_

Viveca ran out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Her phone was ringing again and she'd already ignored it twice. Whoever it was obviously wasn't giving up. She picked up her purse and rifled through it until she found her phone.

"Viveca Bonham," she breathed, pressing the 'talk' button.

"Viveca, thank God."

Viveca felt herself go cold when she heard the voice. She hadn't heard that voice in years. She nearly hung up right then and there.

"How did you get this number?" she asked angrily.

Her mother was silent for a few seconds.

"Your cousin Derek finally caved in and gave it to me," her mother said shakily. "Viveca don't be angry-

"Why the hell shouldn't I be angry?!" Viveca fumed.

"You're my daughter," her mother said softly. "I just want to talk to you. I just wanted to hear your voice-"

"Well you've heard it," Viveca said. "Please don't call again."

Viveca closed her eyes, hanging up the phone and sinking down onto the bed, putting her head in her hands and trying to beat down the feeling of guilt inside her. This wasn't her fault. She wasn't the one who was wrong.

-----------------------------

"Here," Cory sat next to John, handing him a pill and a glass of water. "Take this."

"Am I dying?" he smirked. "Is that why you're being so nice to me?"

"No, now take it," she insisted.

John obliged, taking the pill and finishing the glass of water. After the show, Cory insisted on driving back to the hotel. Then, once they got there she accompanied him to his room and was practically waiting on him hand and foot. He knew she was still a little shaken up from the bell spot earlier.

"Cory," he sighed. "You know you don't have to-"

"I feel like an idiot," she sat, pulling her knees up to her chest.

He was surprised that she was so honest about that. Vulnerable wasn't exactly a word he associated with her but the look on her face was just that. She didn't have her usual smartass bravado.

"You're not an idiot," he insisted.

"I shouldn't have hit you," she shook her head.

"You were supposed to," he laughed.

"But I messed up," Cory said. "I swung too hard. I should have stopped myself."

"Cory-"

"I don't make mistakes," she said. "I cant believe I did something so stupid."

"_Cory_," John put his hand over her mouth before she could say anything else. "I'm fine. I'm not mad, nobody's mad. You slipped up. It happens."

She looked up at him, her big blue eyes filled with concern and guilt.

"I'll move my hand if you promise not to apologize anymore," he offered.

She shrugged.

He removed his hand, "_Everybody _makes mistakes."

"Yeah but my mistake caused this," she reached up, brushing her finger over the band-aid on his forehead. He tried to ignore the effect her touch had on him.

"How about we just don't talk about this anymore?" he suggested, leaning back against his headboard. He patted the bed next to him and she moved to take the seat.

"Before we stop talking about it, I really am sorry," she looked up at him.

"I know," he put an arm around her shoulders. To his surprise, she rested her head on him as he picked up the remote, trying to find something interesting to watch.

"You know, I just realized something," he smirked.

"What?" she asked, taking the remote from him.

"Look at us," he said. "We're getting along."

"It's probably a fluke," she shrugged.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You're probably right."

-----------------------------


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's two more chapters for ya, hope you enjoy them, I do. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!! I'll try to post more by tomorrow but I'm not making any promises, it's been another drama filled week or so...blah...Anyway, enjoy the chapters!**

**Chapter 16…**

John rolled over, nearly falling out of the bed. He put his hand on the floor to stop himself, his eyes opening slowly. Yawning, he rolled back over, expecting to feel Cory next to him. The night before they'd found an Eddie Murphy marathon and watched Coming to America and Harlem Nights. They were in the middle of Beverly Hills Cop II when Cory fell asleep. John didn't see any reason to wake her so he just turned out the lights and went to sleep himself. Now, he sat up, confused when he didn't see her next to him. He looked toward the bathroom but didn't see any light under the door. He laid back down, rubbing a hand over his face. He winced when his hand brushed over the bandage on his forehead. He smiled a little, thinking of how peaceful the night was. They hadn't argued at all. It was strange. Not in a bad way though. His phone beeped and he reached over, picking it up, seeing that he had a text message. It was from Mark telling him to get up and come join him and Hunter for breakfast. He got up slowly, still a little tired, and walked toward the bathroom. Before he got in the shower though, he couldn't help but wonder where Cory was. He picked up his phone again, dialing her number.

-----------------------------

Cory sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, listening as everyone talked. All of the divas were at the arena for a photo shoot that was going to be used on the new Divas website. Cory was much quieter than usual, mainly because they'd all had to get up so damn early. The shoot involved a few different changes and every time they changed they had to go through hair and makeup all over again. She was sitting in a chair while Keith, one of the hairstylists for the shoot, curled her hair. Jessica and Viveca, who had both just finished getting their makeup done, were sitting around her. She had her phone in her lap and occasionally picked it up and played Tetris.

"How's your head Jessie?" Dawn walked back to the group handing everyone a bottle of water.

"You better have straws," Keith ordered. "You mess up that lip gloss you gotta have it redone."

"Relax cosmetics Nazi, I brought straws," Dawn waved them before handing them out.

"I'm feeling okay," Jessica answered Dawn's question.

"Of course she is," Viveca smiled. "Hunter stayed up with her all night."

"Did he now?" Dawn smirked. "You didn't mention that earlier."

"That's because it's not a big deal," Jessica glared at Viveca.

"Sure it isn't," Viveca smirked.

"So what happened?" Dawn smiled.

"Absolutely nothing," Jessica laughed. "Why are you two looking at me? Cory's the one who spent the night in John's room."

Cory's mouth dropped open and she stared at her sister. She had intentionally omitted that from all the morning's conversation.

Jessica shrugged, looking relieved that the attention would be on someone else.

"You did what?" Dawn smirked.

Cory picked up her phone, restarting her game of Tetris.

"Oh come on, you have to tell us," Viveca pressed.

"Tell you what?" Cory kept her eyes on her phone.

"You know what," Dawn insisted.

Cory's phone started ringing and she smiled up at them before answering it, grateful for the interruption, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey John," she said, then quickly regretted revealing the name of her caller. Viveca and Jessica nudged each other and giggled while Dawn simply smiled. Cory stuck her tongue out at all of them before saying, "What's up?"

"Nothing," John said. "I was just uh..I guess I was wondering where you were."

Cory laughed a little at how confused John sounded, "Divas photo shoot at the arena. I left really early."

"Ah, okay," John said.

"How's your head?" Cory tried to ask quietly so that no one else would hear her.

"What?"

She sighed, rolling her eyes, "I said how's your head?"

"Aww," Jessica and Viveca pointed at her.

Cory pointed back, giving them a warning look.

"It's alright," John said. "Thanks for lookin' out."

"No problem," she said. She was about to thank him for making her feel less guilty but then she remembered her nosy friends and sister and thought better of it.

"I guess I'll see you later," John said.

"Yup, see you later," Cory said quickly, hanging up the phone. Before any of them could say anything she held up a hand, "All of you shut up."

-----------------------------

"Hunter," Mark hit his friend in the chest.

"Huh?" Hunter sat up straight, looking around.

"What is wrong with you?" Mark laughed. "You're gonna fall asleep on the table."

"I didn't get any sleep," Hunter explained.

"Why not?" Jeff asked.

"Jessica couldn't sleep," Hunter said. "So I stayed up with her."

"Oh right, the concussion," Jeff nodded.

"Aren't you a sweetheart?" Mark asked.

"Don't start," Hunter warned. "I'm exhausted."

"What'd you do that was so exhausting?" Jeff smirked.

"Not what you think," Hunter said. "We watched TV. We played tic-tac toe."

"Did you paint each other's toe nails and do each other's hair?" John walked up to the table, smiling.

"I bet you think that was funny, don't you?" Hunter asked.

"I do," John nodded, taking his seat. "Very much."

"Anyway," Hunter sighed. "Jeff, I heard you asked Viveca out."

Jeff nodded, "Still waiting on an answer."

"I'm sure she'll say yes," Mark said.

"You know, everybody always talks about who we're all involved with," Jeff gestured to himself, John, and Hunter. "What about you?"

Mark shook his head, "We're not gonna go there."

-----------------------------

Dawn sat in the front row while the crew changed the ring ropes. Cory climbed over the barricade, sitting beside her and putting her arms around her. Cory was the only person there that knew what a hard day this was for her. If it weren't for Cory being there, Dawn would have skipped the photo shoot altogether. She leaned her head on her friend's shoulder, closing her eyes. She wondered where Mark was and if he was feeling the way she was.

"You okay?" Cory asked quietly.

Dawn nodded, eyes still closed. Every year on the same day, she found herself feeling like this. Like she was on the brink of tears and all it took was the tiniest trigger to push her over the edge. She wasn't sure if she _wanted_ Mark to feel the way that she did. The breakup had been his fault but there was still a pesky part of Dawn that told her to forgive him. When she found out she was pregnant, it had been the happiest day of her life. She was on a cloud with the man of her dreams and a baby on the way. Everything was perfect until rumors started going around that there was a possibility that Mark wasn't the father. It wasn't true but Mark was hearing from people he thought he could trust that it was. They started fighting and when Dawn went on maternity leave, she refused to speak to him. She couldn't believe that he would trust anyone's word over her own. He called her over and over but she didn't answer, assuming that he just wanted to pick more fights. Then, one day Cory was visiting and the two were out shopping for baby clothes when she started feeling intense pains in her stomach. Within ours, she had miscarried her baby. Cory had to be the one to tell Mark. That day, Dawn agreed to talk to him on the phone and he told her that he'd been trying to call her to apologize. Dawn was touched but they both realized that it was too late and too much had happened between them. The relationship just couldn't be saved. That was the day she lost her child and the love of her life.

Cory hugged her tighter, probably sensing that she needed it.

"You need some water or something?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, please," Dawn nodded.

Cory stood up, about to go get a few bottles when Portia walked up, smiling. She took one look at Dawn and her amusement was obvious, "What's the matter Dawnie? Having a bad day?"

-----------------------------

Cory knew that Portia probably had no idea what this day meant to Dawn so she resisted the urge to punch the other woman's lights out. Instead she gave her a warning look, "Portia..._not now_."

"What?" Portia giggled. "If my good buddy Dawn is upset I wanna do whatever I can to help. I mean we cant exactly make you more talented or find you a man but I can try."

Cory grabbed Portia's arm roughly and dragged her away.

"Ouch!" Portia squeaked when Cory pushed her down into a seat down the aisle.

"Listen to me _very_ closely Portia," Cory leaned over, getting right in her face. "You can say whatever you want to me today. You can call me a bitch, you can call me a man-stealing whore, _whatever_..but you watch your _fucking_ mouth when you speak to her right now."

"Excuse me?" Portia stared. "Don't you talk to me like that."

"Look, if you walk by Dawn and some bitchy little comment comes to mind, I want you to turn around and just say it to me. Call me names, insult me. I really don't give a shit _what_ it is but if you just cant _bear_ to keep your mouth shut, come to me. Understand?"

"_Why_?" Portia asked.

"Because I said so," Cory said. "And because if you don't listen to me, I _swear_ I will beat your ass."

Portia rolled her eyes but Cory knew she had gotten her message across and Portia would be on her best behavior...at least for the day.

-----------------------------

_A Few Hours Later..._

"Hey Jess," John said, strolling into she and Cory's dressing room. "How's the head?"

"Still on," Jessica shrugged, plopping down on the couch. "I'm not on the show tonight."

"You need the rest," John advised. "Where's Cory?"

"You know the one good thing about a photo shoot right before work," Cory came into the room. "I don't have to sit through hair and makeup again."

John stared at her. She was wearing a black bikini and black boots. Her hair was a mess of curls and her body was practically glistening.

"The only bad thing is trying to figure out how to get this oil off without taking a shower and messing up the hair and makeup," Cory laughed. "Oh hey John."

She turned, leaning over to fish something out of her bag. John's breath caught in his throat and he couldn't for the life of him figure out how to say Hi back to her.

Jessica laughed, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Cory I think you killed him," Jessica laughed.

"What?" Cory stood up straight, turning around. She used a towel to wipe the oil off of her arms and stomach. John quickly tried to wipe the dumb look off his face. It was too late though, she saw it. Her glossy red lips formed an amused smile, "You okay there Cena?"

"Of course I am," John cleared his throat. "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," Cory shrugged. "You just look a little...stunned."

-----------------------------

Dawn walked into she and Viveca's dressing room, stopping when she looked at the counter. There was a single white rose on the counter with a card underneath it. She didn't need to read the card to know who it was from. She took a deep breath, feeling tears threaten to flow. Somehow she had thought maybe Mark forgot. Maybe he was just trying not to think about it. Apparently she was wrong. She picked up the rose and looked down at the envelope. Her name was written on the front. As she looked at it, a tear fell and smeared the ink. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to read it before the show. She probably already looked like a wreck. She picked it up, holding the card against her chest and closing her eyes.

-----------------------------

Mark watched Dawn, conflicted. He desperately wanted to walk in and wrap her in his arms but he knew that wasn't what she wanted. She probably didn't want to be anywhere near him. But he wanted to be near her. He wanted nothing more than to have her back. He tried not to think about it because the more he did, the harder it was to be around her. But when he did allow himself, it took everything in him not to go to her and tell her how he felt. Cory would probably tell him that was the best thing to do. So would Glenn. But he didn't think so. He didn't think that was what Dawn wanted.

-----------------------------

Viveca laughed as Jeff told her about his breakfast with John, Hunter, and Mark.

"So how was the shoot?" Jeff asked.

"It was okay. We had to do group shots then individual shots in each bikini so it took _forever_ but I think they're gonna turn out really good," Viveca said.

"I'm sure yours will," Jeff smirked.

"Suck up," she laughed.

Her cell phone rang and she looked down at it, rolling her eyes when she saw the number. She opened it to answer the call then closed it right away.

"Who was that?" Jeff asked.

"Somebody that just wont go away," she shook her head.

"Is somebody bothering you?" he asked, concerned.

"It's just some fan," Viveca lied. "I'm sure eventually they'll get the hint and leave me alone."

-----------------------------

7:00 PM

**SMACKDOWN**

Smackdown began with a view of Undertaker in his dressing room, taping up his hands. There was a light knock at his door and he turned, not saying anything.

"Who could that be?" Taz asked.

"We'll see," Michael Cole said as Undertaker walked to the door, slowly pulling it open to reveal a very nervous Dawn Marie.

"_Wow_," Taz said as Dawn came into the room.

"Dawn looks pretty timid," Michael commented.

"Can I help you?" Undertaker asked, his muscular arms crossing over his chest.

She tucked her hair behind her ears, "You already have."

Undertaker didn't say anything and Dawn took a deep breath.

"I just..I wanted to thank you for helping me the way you did on Monday," Dawn explained. "I cant remember the last time I was that scared."

Undertaker nodded.

"Is he gonna say anything?" Taz asked.

"Doesn't look like it," Michael laughed.

Dawn looked a little intimidated and she started making her way back toward the door, "I guess I should let you get back to what you were doing...Thanks again."

She turned to leave.

"Dawn," Undertaker finally spoke.

She turned around, looking surprised.

"You're welcome."

-----------------------------

Cory turned when she heard someone knock on the doorframe. John was leaning into the room.

"If you've come to ogle me again, I'm afraid I have to tell you I am wearing a dress under this robe," she turned, opening it a little so he could see the short purple dress she was wearing.

"I was not _ogling_ you earlier," John said. "I was looking past you."

"So you were staring at the wall?" Cory smirked.

"Yes," John nodded. "Your ego led you to believe I was looking at you, but I wasn't."

"Sure you weren't," she smiled, turning back to the mirror and putting her lip gloss on. "Is that why you're looking at my ass right now?"

John's eyes shot back up and she smiled, pointing to the mirror, "I can still see you genius."

-----------------------------

"Temporary insanity," John shrugged. "Look, I just came in here to tell you Hunter and Randy are looking for you. They asked me where you were."

"I'm right here," she smiled. "Great ass and all."

"Your ass is not that great," he said. "It's _okay_."

"Mmhmm," she smirked, going back to her makeup.

The smug look on her face drove him nuts. It was amazing how she could be so irritating and attractive all at once.

"You're still staring," she smiled.

"I'm leaving," he said.

"Want me to bend over before you leave?" she joked.

"Hey, I told you your ass isn't that great," he reminded her.

"It's the best _you've_ ever seen," she smirked.

He rolled his eyes, walking out of the room. Once he was in the hall he leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, "Yes it is."

-----------------------------

_Later..._

**SMACKDOWN**

"Cory, talk to me," Randy followed his girlfriend as she walked quickly down the hall.

"Randy Orton's been trying to get out of the dog house all day," Taz laughed.

"I didn't realize the match was over," Randy insisted.

Cory stopped walking, turning to face him. She didn't seem too convinced.

"It was an accident," he brushed her hair out of her face. "I have _no_ interest in Portia."

She glared at him.

"Why would I want her when I have you?" Randy got closer to her.

"Orton's turning on the charm," Michael Cole said.

"I don't think she's buying it though," Taz said.

"Randy, you seem to forget that my father is the best liar there is," Cory smirked. "Words don't mean all that much to me. You want me to believe that what happened on Monday was all a misunderstanding...then prove it."

With that, Cory walked away leaving Randy to contemplate.

-----------------------------


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17...**

"So how's James?" Hunter asked.

"Okay I guess," Jessica shrugged. "I haven't talked to him in a few days."

"You haven't?" Hunter stared. "He didn't call you at all after last night? Did he not see the show?"

"I'm sure he did," Jessica said.

"Then he had to see you get slammed on your head," Hunter said. "What kind of boyfriend doesn't call after something like that?"

"He's not in the business Hunter," Jessica reminded him. "He probably thought everything was fine."

"You don't have to be a trained wrestler to know when someone got knocked out cold the way you did."

"Thanks for the reminder Hunter," Jessica said. "No wonder you're my best friend."

"I am your best friend," he said. "The one who stayed up with you playing games all night, remember?"

"Of course I do and you know I appreciate that," Jessica insisted. "But you don't have to knock James because he couldn't be here."

"I'm not," Hunter shrugged. "I'm just saying he should have called."

Jessica rolled her eyes, "Fine..whatever."

-----------------------------

"You know what I think you should do," Cory said after Chris vented his frustrations about Taylor. "I think that you should just go to Chicago and find her."

"Just go find her?" Chris laughed. "How am I gonna do that?"

"There's only so many places she could be with no money, no family, and barely any job references," Cory shrugged. "I bet it wouldn't be that hard."

"Probably not but...I don't know," Chris said. "What if she doesn't want my help?"

"She needs it," Cory said. "She wouldn't talk about herself much but a blind person could see how lost she was. She's a sweet girl, she doesn't need to be working some dead end job and living in..well God knows where. And..she liked you."

"You think so?" he asked.

"I know so," she nodded. "It was pretty obvious."

Chris smiled and Cory patted him on the shoulder, "If you want someone to go with you, I'm free."

"Really?" he asked.

"Sure," she shrugged. "John will come too. I'm sure between the three of us, we can find her."

-----------------------------

**SMACKDOWN**

"Ms. McMahon."

Stephanie looked up when there was a knock at her office door. The men in the crowd showed their appreciation as Viveca LeVeaux walked into the General Manager's office.

"Viveca," Stephanie looked a little annoyed. "What can I do for you?"

"I know you and I don't exactly get along but in this situation I hope you can be professional and look past our differences," Viveca said, standing in front of Stephanie's desk.

"I can certainly try," the youngest McMahon said, closing her laptop. "What exactly is it that you want?"

"Well," Viveca sighed. "I'm sure you know that lately I've had a bit of a problem with another diva."

"I assume you're referring to Jessica Dudley," Stephanie said.

"I am," Viveca nodded.

Stephanie waited for further explanation.

"By no means do I want to tell you how to do your job but..I have a _minor_ suggestion," Viveca said.

"And what would that be?" Stephanie asked.

"I think that you should put Jessica in a match...a very special one, right here on Smackdown," Viveca smiled. "A match with someone she had some conflict with on Raw this week."

Stephanie raised a brow, "Who?"

"Rene Dupree," Viveca smiled.

"Rene Dupree?" Stephanie said. "You want me to put Jessica Dudley in a match against Rene Dupree?"

Viveca smiled, nodding.

Stephanie stood up, "Even if I I wanted to, which for the record I _don't_..I couldn't do that Viveca. Because thanks to you and La Resistance, Jessica Dudley has a concussion and she isn't medically cleared to wrestle tonight."

"She does?" Viveca asked. "Oh that's too bad."

"I'm sure you feel horrible," Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You can leave now."

Viveca shrugged, turning to walk away.

"Oh Viveca," Stephanie said, right before the brunette reached the door.

"Yes?" Viveca turned.

"You know...I am going to make a special match for Jessica," Stephanie said. "At Summerslam."

"You are?" Viveca beamed. "That's wonderful."

"I'm sure it will be," Stephanie said.

Viveca turned to leave.

"It'll be Jessica Dudley going up against none other than...you."

Viveca froze.

The crowd cheered at the announcement.

Viveca turned back to Stephanie, "_Me_?"

Stephanie nodded, "_You_."

-----------------------------

"How ya feelin'?" Glenn walked into the locker room, sitting down across from Mark.

"Wonderful," Mark said dryly. "Don't I look it?"

"You've barely said a word to anyone all night," Glenn said.

"Not true," Mark said. "I talked to Cory and I'm talking to you right now."

"Yeah but Cory and I know what's going on with you," Glenn said. "You're not talking to anybody else. You're not talking to the person you _need_ to talk to."

"And who is that Glenn?" Mark asked.

"You know who it is," Glenn sighed.

"I talk to Dawn all the time," Mark insisted.

"But you don't tell her what you really want to say," Glenn said. "It's about time you do."

"You know, you are so predictable," Mark said. "Every year on this day Dawn and I get depressed and you..you get on this talk to her, tell her how you feel kick...It's not gonna happen Glenn. Let it go."

"You'd rather be miserable than stick your neck out a little?" Glenn asked.

"I'm not miserable," Mark said.

Glenn got up to leave, "Yeah..you're not happy either."

-----------------------------

**SMACKDOWN**

The crowd cheered as Portia suplexed Trish Stratus. The two were in the middle of a match for Trish's Women's Championship. The match had gone back and forth quite a bit but Portia currently had the upper hand. Then, the crowd began booing loudly. Randy Orton jumped the security barricade. Trish looked surprised but quickly grabbed the referee to keep him from stopping the Intercontinental Champion.

"What the hell is Orton doing?" Michael Cole asked angrily.

He got his answer when Randy slid into the ring and turned Portia around, bringing her down to the canvas with an RKO.

"Oh my God!" Michael yelled.

Trish let the referee go and the smaller man got in Randy's face, reprimanding the Legend Killer.

"How could he do that?" Michael asked.

"He had something to prove, remember?" Taz said.

The referee continued to yell but Randy pushed the smaller man, then executed another RKO. Trish got out of the ring, grabbing her belt. The crowd's booing got a little bit louder when Corinne Flair made her way down the ramp, smiling.

"Look at her, she looks touched like Randy just brought her flowers and candy," Michael said, disgusted.

"It was a romantic gesture," Taz said.

"There is _nothing_ romantic about what just happened here," Michael argued.

Trish and Cory passed each other on the ramp and Cory congratulated the blonde. Trish gave her a smile before walking away. Cory got into the ring and Randy picked her up, spinning her around.

"Oh isn't this sweet?" Michael spat. The couple kissed in the ring while Portia writhed in pain in the corner. The crowd chanted loudly for John Cena but there was no sign of him.

"At least she's moving now," Taz said as Portia tried, unsuccessfully, to get up. "She was out cold at first."

"Do you not have a problem with this?" Michael asked. "Do you really think this is okay?"

"I didn't say it was a good thing," Taz shrugged.

Randy motioned for the ring announcer to bring him a microphone. He did and Randy smiled, "You people can call for Cena all you want but he's not coming."

"Why the hell not?" Michael asked.

"You see, John Cena is _indisposed_," Randy smirked.

The crowd continued their 'Cena' chant and Randy sighed, "Fine, fine...if you really want to see John Cena _that badly_...I suppose you can."

"What's goin' on here?" Taz asked, confused.

John Cena's music began but he didn't come out right away. After a few seconds, Cena appeared, being dragged by Batista and Ric Flair. He had obviously been beaten badly and was barely conscious.

"Oh my God!" Michael Cole exclaimed.

"What the hell happened to Cena?" Taz asked.

"What do you mean what happened? Isn't it obvious?"

The crowd booed viciously.

"What's the matter?" Randy asked. "I thought you wanted to see John Cena. Here he is folks."

Batista and Flair brought Cena into the ring and pushed him toward Portia who was still reeling from the effects of the RKO.

"The next time the two of you think of confronting us," Randy smirked. "Remember this moment. Remember how you feel right now. The pain, the embarrassment..Remember that..Because _this_ is what happens when you mess with Evolution."

-----------------------------

_After the commercial..._

**SMACKDOWN**

"Is he gonna be okay?" Stephanie walked into the trainer's office as John Cena was being checked out.

"I'm gonna be fine," Cena pushed the trainer out of his way, standing up. He winced, putting an arm across his stomach.

"He might have broken ribs," the trainer said. "He needs to go to the hospital."

"No, what I need is to beat the _hell_ out of Randy Orton," Cena glared.

"That's not gonna happen tonight John," Stephanie shook her head. "I understand that you're ang-"

"No you don't," John shook his head. "You couldn't possibly understand how I feel right now."

"Look, you need to go to the hospital, we'll talk about a match later," Stephanie said.

"No we'll talk about it right now," John gritted his teeth. "I want Orton. _Tonight_."

"You can have a match with Randy Orton," Stephanie said. "But not tonight...and _only_ if you let a doctor look at your ribs tonight."

"_When_?" John asked.

"At Summerslam," Stephanie explained. "It'll be you and Randy Orton...in a street fight."

-----------------------------

"And then he got all snippy about James," Jessica said. "I don't understand what his problem is."

"Seriously?" Viveca stared.

"Seriously," Jessica nodded. "I thought he and James got along fine."

Viveca shook her head, not saying anything.

"What?"

"Nothing," Viveca shrugged.

"_What_?" Jessica asked, frustrated.

"You're just _way_ more oblivious than I thought," Viveca answered. "Like clueless. _Completely_."

"What?" Jessica stared.

Viveca laughed, "Nevermind Jess. Nevermind."

-----------------------------

**SMACKDOWN**

"That was great," Trish laughed. "The look on Portia's face when she saw Randy."

"I know, it was classic," Cory laughed. "I'm very proud."

"You should be," Trish smiled. "You've got yourself a keeper."

"What a surprise that these two are best friends all of a sudden," Michael Cole said, annoyed.

"I think it's great that the ladies are getting along," Taz said.

The two continued talking when out of nowhere, Portia Kelly ran in, attacking Cory.

"Whoa!" Taz yelled.

Portia pushed Cory onto the table they were standing near and got on top of her, grabbing the other woman's long hair and slamming her head down on the table. Trish grabbed Portia's hair, trying to pull her off but Portia was like a wild animal.

"Portia's gone nuts!" Taz laughed as the dark haired diva pushed Trish to the ground then went back to mauling Cory. Both women were screaming with the occasional word having to be bleeped out. Cory reached up, grabbing a makeup case that was on the table and hitting Portia on the head with it. Portia was obviously dizzied by the shot and Cory sat up, putting her hand over Portia's face and pushing her onto the floor.

"You crazy _bitch_!" Cory got up, breathing heavily. She kicked Portia hard in the stomach. She was about to do it again when Portia grabbed her ankle, causing her to fall. The divas rolled around, punching, slapping, and hair pulling for a few more seconds before officials ran in and pried two the apart.

Stephanie McMahon came down the hall, furious.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked both of them.

"She started this!" Portia screamed, trying to get to Cory again.

"_Shutup_ Portia!" Cory yelled.

"Both of you shut up!" Stephanie yelled. "Since you two obviously cant keep your hands off of each other, I've made a decision. Your boyfriends aren't the only ones that get to go at it at Summerslam. The two of you will face each other and if _either_ of you lays a _finger_ on the other before then...you're _fired_."

-----------------------------


	18. Chapter 18

**So I planned to have this up on Sunday but I was recovering from St. Patrick's Day...Thanks so much for the kind reviews, you're all fabulous. Here's the next chapter, hope ya like it...Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 18...**

"So..I kind of need to tell you something," Cory said as she and John walked out of Burger King, toward his rental car.

"What?" he gave her a suspicious look. He hadn't known her long but he knew her well enough to be wary of that innocent tone.

"Well...do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" she asked as they got back into the car.

"Not really," he admitted. "Why?"

"I may have, sort of, volunteered us to go to Chicago with Chris tomorrow," she spoke quickly, looking down into the bags. "I think this one's yours. You got the whopper, right?"

"You what?" John stared, not starting the car. She didn't look up at him, her eyes focused on the food. She must have felt him staring because she finally looked up at him and smiled.

"We should get going," she suggested. "The food's gonna get cold."

He wasn't about to let her change the subject on him, "You volunteered us to go to Chicago? Us as in _me and you?_"

"I did," she admitted. "But I had a _very_ good reason."

"Care to share it?" he asked.

"Taylor."

"The blonde girl?" John asked, confused.

Cory nodded.

"What about her?"

"Chris is worried," she explained. "She's all alone with barely any money and no place to go. He didn't wanna leave her but he had no choice. I told him he should go back and look for her."

"And you said we'd help," John sighed.

She nodded quietly, looking down again. John was waiting for her to push the issue but she didn't. She must have been trying to figure out some other angle. He could tell she was a person whose mind was always working. Being quiet didn't mean she wasn't up to something.

"I'm sorry...I'll just tell him you have plans..I just thought..I figured you'd be a big help but..it's no big deal."

John smiled at her thinly veiled attempt to guilt him. She sighed, looking out the window.

"You're gonna try to make me feel bad about this all night, huh?" he smirked.

She smiled and nodded, not missing a beat.

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll go."

-----------------------------

"Are you looking forward to your match at Summerslam?" Adam asked Jessica. They'd run into each other picking up some food in the hotel restaurant and decided to sit and talk for a while.

"More excited than Viveca," Jessica laughed. "She keeps telling me not to hurt her."

Adam laughed, "That sounds like her. Where is she anyway? Out with Jeff?"

Adam had been avoiding picking his friend's brain about Viveca but since the other woman brought it up, he didn't feel so awkward.

"I wouldn't know," Jessica smirked. "Do I hear a touch of jealousy in your tone Mr. Copeland?"

Adam smiled sheepishly, "Am I that obvious?"

"Painfully," she nodded. "Ever hear the phrase 'you snooze, you lose'?"

"Once or twice," he nodded. "I just never thought Jeff was a threat."

"Well that wasn't very smart on your part," she said. "You have noticed all the girls that lose it at the very sight of him, right?"

"Yeah but..those are fans," Adam said. "They don't _know_ him."

"So you're saying if they knew him, they wouldn't like him?"

"Not really..I-I don't know what I'm saying," he sighed.

"So what are you gonna do now?" she asked.

"What _should_ I do?" he asked.

"Honestly...I hate to tell you this but..you should just let it go," she said. "You've given Jeff this opportunity. You _encouraged_ it. What kind of friend would you be if you tried to ruin it for him now?"

-----------------------------

"Blondie, can you hustle a little, here?" Joe, Taylor's boss demanded. "There's three tables waiting for their orders."

"I'm only one person," Taylor rolled her eyes, pulling down the incredibly short mini-skirt she was required to wear. She walked through the kitchen to pick up some of the orders.

"Well I'm paying you to be more than that," he said. "Now hurry it up."

"I'm coming," Taylor insisted. She was exhausted. Two other waitresses had just quit so while he was looking to hire someone else, Taylor was working open to close and it was taking it's toll on her. She put her tray down for a second, resting her hand on the counter while she took a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes then opened them slowly.

"Jesus Christ Blondie, what are you doing?!" Marc, one of the cooks ran toward her. He grabbed the arm she was leaning on and pulled it up. "Are you okay?!"

Taylor didn't understand why everyone was staring at her until she looked down at the spot her hand had been resting on. She wasn't leaning on the counter. She was leaning on the grill. She looked at her hand, wincing when she saw how red it was.

"Didn't you feel that?" Marc stared.

Taylor shook her head, "No."

_"Please just leave her alone," Nancy pleaded. "You're mad at _me_..not her."_

_"How many times do I have to tell you to shut up before you listen?" Frank asked, holding a fist full of Taylor's hair. "This is between me and her. I'll deal with you later."_

_Taylor struggled to get away from him, but the more she struggled the tighter he held on and the more her head hurt._

_"You're being crazy," Nancy cried. "She's just a child. She's _our_ child."_

_"What did you call me?" he asked, his voice eerily calm._

_Taylor shivered at the tone of his voice. Nothing good ever came of him talking like that. Nothing._

_"I'm crazy, huh?" he smiled. "You think I'm crazy baby?"_

_Nancy's eyes were wide with fear. Taylor wanted to reach out to her mother but she knew that would just make him angrier._

_"No," Nancy quietly shook her head. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry I-"_

_"You wanna see crazy?" he started pulling Taylor toward the kitchen. She was stumbling over her own feet.. "Come on Nancy..I'll show you crazy."_

_"Frank _please_," Nancy pleaded_

_He took the pot that was boiling on the stove and threw it against the wall then grabbed Taylor's hand, holding it over the flame, "I'll show you crazy."_

"How did you not feel that?" Marc asked. "You were pressing down right on the griddle."

"I had some nerve damage in this hand a long time ago," Taylor shrugged. "It's not a big deal, okay? I've gotta get these orders out."

"But your ha-"

"I'm fine," Taylor insisted. "I'm fine."

-----------------------------

_The Next Day..._

Dawn pushed her salad around with her fork, not sure why she even ordered it. She wasn't really hungry. She was just tired. She hadn't fallen asleep until 3 A.M. and then she woke up at 9. She went to the gym that morning and ran, then went shopping. With Cory in Chicago, she had to try and cheer herself up. Fortunately, she was feeling a little better than she did the day before. Very little but beggars couldn't be choosers. She tapped her nails on the table, trying to figure out what to do next.

"Is this seat taken?"

She stopped moving but didn't look up when she heard Mark's voice.

She could hear the chair across from her move as he pulled it out and sat down. She put her fork down, finally looking up at him.

"How are ya?" he asked, looking a little nervous.

"Tired," she admitted. "How are you?"

"Same," he nodded.

He leaned forward on his elbows, looking down at his hands. For some reason, Dawn found herself smirking a little at his out of character awkwardness.

"What?" he noticed her amused expression.

"Nothing," she shook her head.

"You're laughing at me, aren't you?" he asked.

"Not laughing," she shook her head. "My mouth just twitched a little."

"Your mouth twitched?" he gave her a suspicious look.

She nodded, "Is that so strange?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Yes it is."

They were quiet for a few seconds and Dawn's eyes drifted back down to her salad.

"About yesterday.."

Dawn shook her head and he stopped, seeing that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked.

She thought about it for a second and then looked back up at him, shaking her head, "No."

-----------------------------

"So what exactly is our plan?" John asked as he, Cory, and Chris pulled their rental car out of the parking lot.

He and Chris both looked at Cory.

"Why is everybody staring at me?" she asked, confused.

"Wasn't this your idea?" John asked.

"Yeah but it's most important to Chris," Cory said. "He should have come up with the plan."

"I booked the plane tickets," Chris said.

"I said we should come here," Cory said. "The way I see it, it's your turn to come up with something Cena."

"You volunteered me to come here," he said.

"Because I thought you could help so be helpful damn it," Cory looked over her shoulder at him.

"Don't talk to me like that," he pointed at her.

"Do I need to pull the car over?" Chris asked. "Because I will."

"Can we just come up with a plan, please?" Cory pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head.

"You said she didn't have any money, right?" John asked.

"A couple hundred bucks, that was it," Chris said.

"So she couldn't have gone far from the hotel we were at," John said. "Maybe we should try out some cheap places near there."

Cory smiled, "Not a bad idea."

_1 Hour Later..._

"This place is disgusting," Cory said as she and John walked toward the door. They'd found a few motels that seemed to be in the right price range and thought it would be best to split up. Chris was checking some while John and Cory checked others. They were on the third one.

"Yeah it is," John opened the door, waiting for her to go in. She stared inside but didn't move.

"Go," he gently pushed her inside, causing her to stumble in her heels.

"Oh God it smells," Cory turned around to leave the second they hit the 'lobby'. John hooked an arm around her waist, turning her back around.

She rolled her eyes as they walked up to the front desk. There was no one there and they looked around to see if anyone was coming. There was a bell that seemed to be covered in a strange film sitting next to a white binder and Cory stared at it, her nose scrunched in disgust. Amused, John stood back, nodding for her to ring it.

"I hate you," she glared at him.

"Just ring the bell," he laughed.

She raised her hand and barely tapped it on the bell before pulling it back and wiping it on John's arm.

"Hey," he laughed, moving away.

No one came and after a few seconds, John rang the bell again. It was another two minutes before anyone came. A tall, skinny older man with greasy black hair walked out from a back room. He coughed on his hand, stared at it and then wiped it on the side of his pants before looking up at them.

"Welcome to the Stardust, how can I help you?" he asked.

"We were wondering if you'd seen a friend of ours," John said.

"What friend?" the man, whose name tag read 'Hi My Name Is Dwight', asked. His eyes kept drifting to Cory's chest and John tried to ignore it.

"Her name's Taylor," Cory said. "She's a little shorter than me, slender, longish blonde hair, blue eyes."

"I remember her," Dwight smiled.

"You do?" Cory smiled.

"Oh yeah," Dwight nodded. "_Real_ pretty..We don't usually get girls that good lookin' in here...She wasn't quite as pretty as _you_ though."

"How pretty she is isn't important right now," John moved over to partially block the other man's view of Cory.

"Hey, share the wealth man," Dwight laughed.

John felt himself growing tense and he leaned on the counter, "Listen Dwight..we're here about our friend, not my girlfriend or her breasts so why don't you do me a favor and try to focus?"

The much smaller man looked a little scared and John relaxed when he felt Cory's hand on his back.

"It's very important that we find our friend," she told Dwight, still standing a little behind John.

"She checked out the morning after she checked in," Dwight said. "She said she was gonna get an apartment. That's all I know."

"You're _sure_ about that?" Cory asked.

"Positive," Dwight nodded. "Sorry beautiful."

"She didn't say where this apartment was?" John asked.

"Nope," the clerk answered. "Honestly it didn't seem like a done deal, I think she just wanted to get outta this place."

"That's a shock," John said under his breath.

"Can you think of some pretty ch...reasonable apartments close to here?" Cory asked.

"Just keep going this way," he pointed. "You'll run into a few places."

"Thanks," Cory said.

"Anything for you," Dwight leaned forward. "What's your name?"

John was about to say something but Cory took his hand, "You know, we really appreciate your help but we should get going. Thanks again."

"Anytime," Dwight smiled.

Cory turned, pulling John toward the door before he could scare Dwight again.

"Let's go honey," Cory encouraged.

"Anything you say babe," John glared at Dwight one more time before they got out the door.

Once they were outside, she dropped his hand, smirking at him.

"What?" he walked toward the car.

She giggled, opening her door, "Nothing."

-----------------------------

"So I was talking to Adam last night," Jessica said as she and Viveca walked through the department store.

"Did you?" Viveca asked.

"Mmhmm," Jessica nodded. "He asked about you."

"Ah," Viveca said, obviously uninterested as she flipped through a rack of jackets.

Jessica laughed, shaking her head.

"What's so funny?"

"You," Jessica smiled.

"What'd I do?" Viveca asked.

"You amazed me, that's all," Jess laughed.

"And how did I manage that?" Viveca asked, confused.

"You really aren't gonna ask me if Adam said anything about you?" Jessica asked.

"I hadn't planned on it," she shrugged. "Why?"

"It's just funny...once upon a time, you would have threatened to shave my head if I didn't tell you every single thing Adam said," Jessica reminded her friend.

"It's just..not important," Viveca shrugged.

"Because of Jeff?" Jessica asked.

At the mention of him, Viveca smiled but didn't say anything.

That was all the answer Jessica needed.

-----------------------------

"She lives in apartment 3E," Chris got back into the car. "The maintenance guy says she always comes in really late and leaves really early."

"So what do we do? Just wait here?" Cory asked.

"Why don't we go visit your boyfriend back at the Stardust?" John grumbled.

"Did he really bother you _that_ much?" Cory laughed.

"No," John insisted.

"Let's go get something to eat," Chris suggested. "Then we'll come back here."

"Good idea, I'm hungry," Cory said.

"I think I saw a sports bar not far from here," John suggested.

"You would wanna go to a sports bar," Cory smirked.

"Don't start woman," John pointed.

Chris tried his best to tune out the bickering between his friends and think about the task at hand. He had to figure out some way to convince Taylor to come with them. If she was anything like he thought, that wasn't going to be easy.

-----------------------------

_That night..._

"Blondie, you got another table out there!" Joe yelled.

"I've already got three, cant you handle one?" Taylor asked, exhausted.

"If I could would I tell you to do it?" Joe asked. "Now hurry up, they look hungry."

Taylor rolled her eyes, walking out of the kitchen. She stopped when she saw three familiar faces seated in her section.

-----------------------------

"Why do I get the feeling the food here is gonna taste like grease?" Chris laughed as they sat down to eat.

"Nothing wrong with a little artery clogging every once in a while," Cory shrugged, looking through the very small menu.

"I'm with her," John said. "I'm getting the greasiest thing I can find."

"Don't you always do that?" Cory laughed.

"I will have you know I am a very healthy eater," John insisted.

Chris looked around, wondering how long it would take for a waitress. The place seemed pretty busy. He was scanning the room when he found himself looking into a pair of bright blue eyes. Taylor's blue eyes.

"I wonder if I can get the hamburger with extra lettuce," Cory said.

"Just ask, I'm sure they can do it," John said. "Chris, what are you staring at?"

Chris didn't bother to answer, knowing John would eventually follow his gaze. He simply stared at Taylor, not sure what to do. She looked a little different. She looked..uncomfortable. She was wearing more makeup and her uniform consisted of a tight white t-shirt, a very short black skirt, and boots. She was staring back at him, the tray in her hands tilting a little.

"Is that Taylor?" Cory asked.

"No way," John said. "You mean all we had to do was come _here_?"

"Go say something," Cory nudged Chris.

"I don't think he needs to," John said. "It looks like that guy is telling her to come over here."

A stocky man was talking to Taylor and pointing in their direction. Chris could tell by her expression that she didn't like the way he was talking to her and he had half a mind to get up and tell the guy to get away from her but he thought better of it. She started walking toward their table and pasted on a smile, "Welcome to Joey's."

"We've been looking all over for you," Chris blurted.

Taylor looked surprised, "You have? Why?"

Chris wasn't sure how to answer. He hadn't planned on saying that.

"Chris was worried about you," Cory stepped in. "He wanted to see if you were alright. Right Chris?"

Chris nodded, "What are you doing here?"

"Working," Taylor looked around.

"Do you uh..like it here?" Cory looked around. Someone at the next table blew smoke in her direction and she started coughing so hard John had to pat her on the back.

"It's a living," Taylor shrugged.

"You don't like it," Chris said.

Taylor smiled sheepishly, "Not really...but you gotta do what you gotta do."

"You don't have to do _this_," Chris looked around.

"Hey Blondie!" the stocky man yelled. "Get it in gear!"

-----------------------------

"They're in Chicago?" Portia asked, annoyed. "Why would they be in Chicago together?"

Randy shrugged, "I didn't ask all that. I just asked Dawn where they went."

"They're really trying to get us to buy this act," Portia shook her head. "There has to be some way to catch them in their lie."

"Maybe it's not a-"

"Please don't start that again," Portia rolled her eyes. "I know what John's doing...he's trying to punish me for the way our relationship ended. It's actually kind of sweet."

"Do you really think that?" Randy smirked.

"At least I _had_ John," she said.

"Was that a shot at me?" Randy asked. "Because if I were you, I wouldn't talk shit considering you couldn't manage to keep him."

"Watch it Orton," Portia pointed.

"You watch it," he responded.

"Look, we're not supposed to be arguing," Portia said. "That is counterproductive. We need to figure out a plan."

-----------------------------

"If that guy yelled at her one more time," Chris shook his head.

"Relax, hopefully she wont be going back there," Cory said, pacing back and forth. Taylor's boss had been on her case all night and finally she asked them to meet her back at her apartment, thinking that one less table might make him ease up a bit. Now they were waiting outside her building.

John looked over at Cory and could see that she was shivering. She'd left her jacket at the hotel because it was so warm out earlier. Now, it had cooled down quite a bit and she was clad only in a t-shirt and a skirt. He opened the car door and gently took her hand, pulling her toward it. She got the message and sat in the passenger seat where she wouldn't be subjected to as much wind. With Cory more comfortable, John turned his attention to Chris. He was tense, he had been all night. He knew his friend didn't know this girl well but she'd obviously had a profound effect on him. A few times he thought he was going to have to break up a fight between Chris and her boss.

Cory got a phone call and John took the opportunity to walk over to Chris, "So...you thought about what you're gonna say?"

Chris sighed, "I probably should have..but no, not really."

"You think she'll come with us?" John asked.

"Honestly?" Chris put his hands in his pockets. "No...but I feel like I have to try."

"You're sure you want this man?" John asked. "Once you invest this much time in someone, you're in deep."

"I know," Chris said. "I just...I wanna help her."

John nodded, "Then we'll do our best."

"Thanks for coming," Chris said.

John shrugged, "Hey, if we run out of options, I'm sure Cory can annoy her into coming."

Chris laughed.

"I'm serious," John smirked. "She could probably annoy anyone into anything. She's got a gift."

"She must," Chris smirked. "You've been staring at her all day."

"Staring at who?" John laughed.

Chris nodded toward Cory.

John laughed, shaking his head, "No I wasn't."

"Yeah, you were," Chris insisted.

"Sometimes I stare at her because it amazes me how crazy she can be," John said. "That was probably it."

"It wasn't that kind of stare," Chris said. "It was-"

"Aren't we here to handle your woman issues?" John asked.

Chris smirked, "Yeah but if we can fix yours along the way...

-----------------------------

_1 Hour Later..._

"This is it," Taylor unlocked the door, praying she didn't look as embarrassed as she felt. She walked in and Cory, John, and Chris followed. A few steps into her apartment and one pretty much saw all they needed to see. There was a dusty old foldout couch and a chipped glass coffee table. The kitchen consisted of a stove, a small green refrigerator and a rusty sink. The bathroom was the only room that actually had a door. The walls were cracked and the wallpaper was peeling in various places.

"This is..charming," Cory looked around.

John nudged her and Taylor shrugged, "I'm sure eventually I can do something with it.

"Excuse her, she cant keep her mouth shut sometimes," John apologized.

"I didn't say anything bad," Cory insisted.

Chris sat down on the couch and Taylor sat in the lone wooden chair she had. Cory and John looked at each other and then John spoke up, "We'er gonna give you two some time to talk."

"Yeah, we're gonna go...look around," Cory shrugged, walking toward the door. When they were gone, Taylor looked down at her hands. She could feel Chris's eyes on her but she couldn't look up. She was embarrassed. Incredibly so. And she didn't want him to see it.

"How are you really?" he asked. "And don't tell me you're fine because I know that's not true."

"I've been worse, trust me," she said, wringing her hands. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he shrugged. "Except that I cant stop thinking about you all the time."

Taylor's heart jumped when he said that. She didn't want to react but she couldn't help it.

"Thinking about me?" she looked up. "Why?"

"The way you ran out I just...I was worried," Chris said. "I thought you were going to come on the road with us."

"I couldn't do that," Taylor shook her head. "I couldn't impose on you anymore."

"You weren't imposing," Chris insisted.

"Yes I was," she argued.

"Taylor we talked about this," he said. "I told you that I would help you get a job."

"A job that I'm not even sure I could do," Taylor said, looking into his eyes. "I couldn't understand why you were so willing to help me."

"I'm not sure I understand it," Chris shrugged. "I just know I didn't wanna leave you alone."

"I can handle it," she ran a hand over her hair.

"Just barely," he said. "You're exhausted, I can tell."

"People get tired," she shrugged.

"You hate that job and your boss is an asshole," he said.

"That's life Chris," she shrugged again. His concerned expression tugged at her heart. He frustrating her to no end but she was touched at the same time. And confused.

-----------------------------

"Can you hear what they're saying?" Cory asked as John pressed his ear against the door.

"Not really," John shook his head. "You try."

Cory got in front of him and pressed her ear against the door. John tried to ignore how close she was to him and focus on the task at hand: eavesdropping.

"She said something about being tired," Cory said. "And then Chris called somebody an asshole. Her boss I think."

"When should we go back in?" he asked.

Cory shrugged, "When do you think?"

"Whenever it gets quiet, I guess," John shrugged.

"I hope it's soon, this building looks like it's gonna fall apart any second," Cory said.

"Yeah well, if it does, I'm sure your buddy Dwight will come save you from the rubble," John said.

"Oh will you let it go?"

-----------------------------

"You want me to go with you?" Taylor stared.

Chris nodded, hoping that she would stop being stubborn if only for a few minutes.

"I cant do that," she shook her head.

"Why not?"

"You know why," she insisted.

"You're not a freeloader," Chris said, growing frustrated. "You're not imposing, you're not leeching, _nothing_. You're just accepting a little help."

"That I haven't earned," Taylor said. "No."

"What do I need to do to convince you?" Chris asked. "Apparently flying to Chicago and tracking you down wasn't enough."

"I don't want you to think I don't appreciate what you did but.."

"But what?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. "But you wanna stay here and work in a bar forever?"

"I wont be working there forever," Taylor said. "And at least I got this job on my own."

"You got this job because that asshole likes to look at you," Chris said. "He could care less about what happens to you when you leave that place."

"Maybe that's for the best," Taylor said. "Why should he care about me? Why should you?"

"I don't know!" Chris insisted. "I just do. Why cant you just let me help?"

"Because I cant!" Taylor exclaimed. "What if you regret it Chris? What if you try to help me and I completely fuck things up, what then?"

"Then it's a lesson learned," Chris shrugged. "At least I tried."

She sat down again, sniffing. Chris could tell that she was struggling not to cry and he wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to comfort her but he was afraid it would just turn into an argument. They were quiet for a few minutes and Chris considered giving up. He couldn't help her if she didn't want him to. The door opened and John and Cory came back in, looking expectant.

"She said no," Chris shrugged.

-----------------------------

"Guys, will you excuse us for a second?" Cory requested, looking over at Taylor. She was sitting with her head down, wiping a thumb under her eyes.

John nodded, "We'll be in the car."

Chris looked hesitant but Cory nodded for him to go with John.

When the door closed behind the men, Cory turned to the younger blonde, "I know you're scared."

Taylor looked as if she was about to argue but Cory put a hand up, "I also know that you don't want to admit it...I cant blame you, I wouldn't want to either."

Taylor sighed, looking down at her hands.

"I'm not gonna pretend to know what it's like for you," Cory said, walking over to sit near her. "I cant say that I know what it feels like to be completely alone but I'm sure it's hard."

Taylor closed her eyes, taking a shaky breath.

"You don't have to tell us what happened to you," Cory said.

"Nothing happ-"

"Taylor, don't bother," Cory said, stopping Taylor from lying. It was obvious that there was something she didn't want to talk about. "Whatever it was, it doesn't matter. No one needs to know if you don't want to tell. We just want to help. But you have to let us."

"I cant," Taylor shook her head. "I cant rely on strangers."

"Then don't," Cory said. "No one's trying to keep you from getting on your own two feet..We just wanna help you up."

"I just..." Taylor sighed in frustration. "Nevermind."

"No, what?" Cory asked. "Say whatever it is you need to say."

"I don't know how to do this," Taylor stood up. "It's been a long time since anyone's ever wanted to help me."

"I promise it's not as hard as you think," Cory laughed a little. "It's a choice between living in this closet you call an apartment and letting drunk guys slap you on the ass or getting a job and going on the road with us. The guys are a little rough around the edges but I assure you it beats _this_."

"It's not that easy," Taylor shook her head.

"It can be," Cory shrugged, standing up. "It's as easy as packing up your stuff and getting in the car with us. I'll even help you."

"Why?" Taylor turned to her with inquisitive eyes. "All I am to you is the girl Chris picked up on the side of the road. Why is this so important to you?"

Cory sighed, "Because you're young. And I can tell that you're smart. And I have way too much of a conscience to let you ruin your future because you cant stop focusing on your past."

Cory could see tears in Taylor's eyes and she wanted to reach out and hug her but she wasn't sure if they were at that point yet. Instead, she put a hand on her shoulder, "You can leave anytime you want...Just give this a chance."

"You don't give up, huh?" Taylor smirked.

"Never," Cory shook her head. "I'm really quite annoying when I wanna be."

"I wouldn't say annoying," Taylor said. "_Persistent_, maybe."

"That's a good way to put it," Cory said. "You should tell John that."

Taylor laughed, "I'll try."

"So," Cory crossed her arms over her chest and looked around the cramped apartment. "Can we pack your things and blow this joint?"

Taylor looked around as well, then smiled slowly, "I guess so."


	19. Chapter 19

**Okay peeps, here's the next chapter. Let me know how ya feel about it. I have a couple days off so I'll do my best to have another chapter up soon but as usual, I'm not making any promises. As always, big hugs for the great reviews! You know the drill, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 19...**

2 Weeks Later…

_Los Angeles, California_

"Excited for your match?" Jeff asked as Viveca brushed through her hair. Viveca's match with Jessica was set to open Summerslam and Viveca had seemed a little anxious about it earlier in the day. Once they got to the arena though, she seemed to relax a little.

"Actually I am," Viveca smiled, turning toward him and leaning against the makeup counter. "I think those moves you taught me will definitely come in handy."

Jeff smiled. At Cory's suggestion, Jeff had shown Viveca some moves to use in her match. It was a little hard to get her to focus at first but once she did, she actually seemed to enjoy it.

"I'm happy to help," he smirked. "You catch on quick."

"Flattery will get you everywhere dear," she smiled, turning back to the mirror and opening a tube of lipstick.

Jeff was still unsure of what changed Viveca's mind about him but he wasn't opposed to her change of heart. Over the past month or so, they'd formed a bond that Jeff valued greatly. They'd gotten to know each other better and for once Jeff felt that there was mutual admiration between them. He sat back, watching as she flipped her hair in the mirror. She was wearing black pants and a black midriff baring top, her brown waves flowing around her shoulders. Jeff smiled at how cute she looked pulling on her elbow pads.

"You need to turn 'em around," he advised.

"What?" she looked up, confused.

"Notice how there's that part that kinda puffs out on your inner elbow?" Jeff questioned.

"Yeah," she said, pinching the loose fabric.

"You need to turn the pad around," he smirked. "You have it on wrong."

"Oh," she said, pouting a little as she turned the pads. "I knew that."

-----------------------------

Jessica looked at herself in the mirror, making sure her pigtails were even. Once she was sure, she turned her attention to her outfit, checking to see if everything was in the right place and she wasn't going to pop out during her match.

"You look great."

She put her hands on her hips, turning to face Hunter. He was standing at the doorway.

"Are we talking now?" she asked.

After their argument, if it could be classified as one, about James, they'd barely spoken. In the entire time they'd been friends, they never went more than 3 or 4 days without talking to each other so Jessica didn't bother to hide how furious she was at the way things were going.

"Don't look at me like that," he walked into the room.

"Why shouldn't I?" Jessica didn't remove her annoyed expression.

"This isn't all my fault," he insisted. "You haven't talked to me either."

"Because you were being a jerk," she glared.

"I admit, I was being kind of an ass."

"Kind of?" she questioned.

"Okay fine, I was being an ass," he said. "I'm sorry."

"You are?" she eyed him suspiciously.

"Yes I am," he nodded. "I was frustrated and took it out on you."

"Yes you did," she agreed, sitting down on the couch. "You've never done that before."

"I know," he sat next to her.

"We've never had a stupid fight like that," Jessica sighed. "I don't like it."

"Neither do I," he said. "Will you feel better if I promise it wont happen again?"

She looked into his eyes and knew she couldn't stay angry at her best friend.

"I suppose you're forgiven," she sighed. "But if you get snippy like that again, I may be forced to hurt you."

He laughed, "I'll do my best to avoid that."

-----------------------------

"I cannot _wait_ to get this match started," Portia smiled, pulling on her knee pads.

"Portia, you need to be careful," Randy reminded her. "If you or Cory slip up, one of you could end up leaving here on a stretcher."

"If anyone leaves on a stretcher, I promise it'll be her," Portia smiled.  
"That's not funny," he warned.

"Lighten up Randy," Portia smiled. "How do I look?"

Randy had to admit that though he'd never made a point to express it, he found Portia _very_ attractive. As far as he was concerned, she always looked good. But she didn't need to know that.

"You look fine," he shrugged, trying to sound indifferent.

"Thank you," she smiled. "So, you're not gonna be mad at me for messing up your dream girl's face are you?"

"Portia," Randy rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm done," she laughed. "Party pooper."

"Just be careful tonight," he said. "That's all I'm saying."

-----------------------------

_20 Minutes Later..._

John watched as Cory paced back and forth, going through the match in her head.

"Will you say something to her?" Dawn whispered to him. "She's gonna walk a hole in the floor."

"I can hear you," Cory said, still pacing. "And I'm not gonna walk a hole in the floor. I'm just trying to focus. I don't want anything to go wrong."

"Weren't you in ECW?" John laughed. "I didn't think a hardcore match could make you so nervous?"

"It's not the fact that it's a hardcore match," Cory said. "It's the fact that Portia has never been in one."

"You've got everything figured out though, don't you?" Dawn asked.

Cory nodded.

"Then you shouldn't have any problems," Dawn stood up, walking over and stopping her from pacing. She gave her friend a quick hug, "I've gotta go find Brock. Stop pacing, please."

"I'll try," Cory promised before Dawn left. Once her friend was gone she started pacing again.

John shook his head, feeling for her. He was nervous before his first big match. It was natural. He got up and stood behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders to keep her from pacing again.

She stopped moving but didn't say anything. He was surprised at how tense her shoulders felt.

"You're gonna be fine" he assured her. "Quit being so damn nervous. You messed up that one time and now you beat yourself up before every match."

"Not every match," she said. "Just this one...I don't know, I just have a weird feeling."

They were silent for a few seconds. Then, she turned to face him, "Why do you care if I'm nervous?"

"I want you mentally stable when you kick Portia's ass," he joked, lightly kneading her shoulders. They were facing the mirror and she laughed, shaking her head.

"What?" he asked.

"We're getting along again," she pointed out. "It's happening more often lately."

"I know," he laughed, removing his hands from her shoulders. "It's scary."

"It is," she agreed, turning around and leaning against the makeup counter. She was already dressed and ready for the match in a white vest with thin green and black stripes that showed off part of her dark green lace bra and all of a very flat stomach paired with black shorts. Her hair was curled loosely.

He sat down and she walked over, sitting beside him. At first she was looking down at her hands but then she looked over at him, "You're sure everything's gonna be fine?"

"I'm sure," he smiled. "Now go get you some."

-----------------------------

_SUMMERSLAM_

A montage of clips played on the titan tron depicting the feud between Portia Kelly and Cory Flair.

"There's certainly no love lost between these two women King," JR said as Portia's music began. The fan favorite made her way down to the ring amidst camera flashes and cheers.

"I don't understand why two ladies this beautiful cant just get along," King said as Portia climbed into the ring.

"It's mostly the fault of Corinne Flair," JR said. "Ladies and gentlemen it was announced two weeks ago on Smackdown that this match would be a hardcore match and both women seemed more than happy with that stipulation."

"They really want to hurt each other," King commented.

"Ya think so?" JR laughed.

The crowd's mood changed when Cory's music began and the newer diva walked out onto the ramp. She smiled, obviously enjoying the negative reaction. She waved for them to keep it up, laughing as she walked up the steps to the ring.

"John Cena and Randy Orton are gonna take each other on in a No Holds Barred, Falls Count Anywhere Match," JR reminded the viewers at home.

"So both couples are gonna be pretty beat up tonight," King said as the women stood, glaring at each other. The referee signaled for the bell to ring and they attacked each other.

_5 Minutes Later_

John watched on the monitor as Cory hit Portia on the back with a trash can lid. The match was going perfectly so far. John was thoroughly impressed with Cory. They were using the weapons but she'd displayed quite a bit of technical ability as well. She swung the can lid again but this time Portia ducked, kicking Cory in the stomach and making her drop it. Portia picked it up and raised it above her head, the crowd cheering her on. Just as Cory was making it to her feet, Portia brought the lid down hard. When the lid hit her, John winced.

"That wasn't right," Jessica pointed.

John nodded. Portia had hit Cory right on the crown of her head with the very edge of the can lid about as hard as she could possibly manage.

-----------------------------

Cory felt nausea wave through her body thanks to the pain in her head. Portia had screwed up the lid spot and she could swear she was bleeding. She was also having a little trouble getting back on her feet. She was incredibly dizzy. Portia seemed to realize she wasn't getting up on her own and came over, pulling her up by the hair. Cory cried out in pain as her hair was pulled. Portia let go, whipping her against the ropes. Cory just barely got her arm up to clothesline the other woman but Portia sold it well enough from what she could see. Unfortunately, she couldn't see very well. Her head was spinning. She grabbed for Portia but couldn't quite get her hair. Portia moved her head and Cory grabbed, pulling her up and going for the planned DDT. Then, she got up, getting to the corner as quickly as she could manage. She took a deep breath before trying to get up to the top turnbuckle. She held the ropes tightly, praying she didn't fall. She was still feeling nauseous and couldn't quite get her footing. Fortunately she didn't need to hold it for very long. Portia was supposed to come knock her off her feet in a few seconds. She made it to the top and Portia came up, knocking her feet out from under her, leaving Cory straddling the turnbuckle. Then, Portia grabbed her hair and yanked her down so that she was hanging. She hooked her feet under the ropes to keep from falling as Portia ran to the opposite corner. Cory blinked rapidly, knowing she had to move at the last second. She felt another wave of sickness but tried her best to ignore it as Portia came toward her. The plan was for Portia to slide and try to kick Cory in the head but Cory was to pull herself up, causing Portia to slide out of the ring. Portia ran and Cory used her legs to try and sit up quickly. She made it out of the way of Portia's feet but before she reached a sitting position she felt a pop.

-----------------------------

John immediately knew something was wrong when Cory sat up. She unhooked her foot from the ropes and fell off the turnbuckle. When she hit the canvas, she wrapped her arms around her right knee, her eyes shut tightly.

"Oh God," Jessica put a hand over her mouth. When Cory rolled, a few drops of blood showed up on the canvas coming from the top of her head. "Oh God, is she okay?"

Portia slid back into the ring and once again grabbed Cory by the hair.

-----------------------------

Cory tried to shake her head at Portia but the other woman didn't seem to get the hint. There was something seriously wrong. Cory wasn't sure what happened but it was bad. Her knee hurt so bad she had tears in her eyes and the nausea had gotten significantly worse. Portia pulled her up by the hair but the second Cory put weight on her right foot she heard a pained noise escape her as her leg completely gave out.

"Portia stop," Cory cried as the brunette tried to pull her up again.

"What?" Portia asked as if she'd lost her mind.

"My knee," Cory was able to force her words out through the pain.

Portia stopped trying to pull her up, instead pushing her to the canvas. Cory was relieved, assuming she was going to tell the referee to call for an EMT. Instead, she felt a hard kick to her knee. She screamed, feeling another intense pain. This time it wasn't so much a pop, it was more like a ripping feeling. She rolled away, unable to crawl because it would hurt too much. Portia tried to kick her again but Cory grabbed her foot and pulled, causing the other woman to fall. She tried to think of some way to end the match quickly and believably. She scooted over to the ropes, her eyes shut tightly as she tried to will herself up. She used all the strength she had pulling herself to a nearly standing position. All of her weight was on her left leg. She didn't think she could even limp. The referee came over to check on her and, thankfully, Randy ran out. Obviously someone in the back had tried to figure out a way to end the match as well. Portia got up slowly and Randy gave her an RKO and then slid out of the ring. The confused crowd booed almost reluctantly. It was probably obvious to them that something was wrong as well.

"Are you okay?" the referee asked her.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"Is it bad?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Can you finish?" he asked.

She nodded and then he backed away a few steps. Cory tried to limp toward Portia but when she put weight on her right leg, it gave out again. Fortunately she fell very close to Portia so she just pulled herself over, covering the other woman. The ref counted quickly and the crowd cheered as the match ended.

-----------------------------

John watched on the monitor as Cory writhed in pain inside the ring. He wanted desperately to be out there with her but Vince had made it clear that only Randy, Hunter, Ric, and Dave were allowed to go to the ring. Portia was already on her way backstage. The paramedics wheeled a stretcher out to the ring and Randy carried Cory to the side they were on. When Portia came through the curtain, John struggled not to lose his temper. He wanted to yell at Portia for kicking Cory after she was obviously hurt but that wouldn't help anything. Besides he was sure between Jessica, Dawn, and possibly Mark, Portia would get hers. They got Cory onto the stretcher but it seemed that they couldn't convince her to lay down. The crowd cheered for her as she was wheeled out of the arena by the side of the ramp with the other members of Evolution at her side. He could see her being wheeled toward the ambulance but the cameras were there so he knew he should stay away.

Jessica came up beside him and he put an arm around her when he saw a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Once the cameras are gone I'm going with her," Jessica explained.

"Good," he nodded. "I'll be there as soon as my match is over."

"Okay," Jessica sniffed.

Hunter waved her over as the camera men started to walk away.

"Jess," John stopped her before she went.

"Yeah?"

"Tell her I'll be there."

She nodded, "I'll tell her."

-----------------------------

_3 Hours Later..._

Hunter stood in the doorway of Cory's hospital room. Jessica was at her younger sister's bedside, holding her hand. Cory was asleep and Jessica was using her free hand to flip through the channels on the small TV in the corner of the room. She'd obviously been crying. Her blue eyes were red rimmed and she had makeup on her cheeks.

"Hey there," he finally made his presence known.

A weak smile touched her face, "Hey Hunter."

"How are you?" he asked.

Jessica sniffed, shaking her head.

"Where's John?" he asked. John had rushed out after his match, refusing to wait around to do post-match interviews for the WWE's website.

"I sent him downstairs to get some food," she explained.

"She been up yet?" Hunter nodded toward the sleeping woman.

"Just for a few minutes," Jessica answered.

"Well," Hunter pulled up a chair. "What's the verdict?"

"A concussion, 3 stitches on the crown of her head, and last but certainly not least, a ruptured tendon _and_ a grade three torn MCL," Jessica sighed.

Hunter winced. Basically, she'd gotten about as bad a knee injury as she possibly could, "So that's surgery and about 3 or 4 months out?"

"It should be surgery and between 4 and 6 months out, if not more," Jessica sighed.

"Does she know yet?" he asked.

Jessica shook her head, "I cant believe Portia did this."

"It's not _all_ Portia's fault," Hunter said.

"She told the paramedics that she felt the pop first but she didn't feel the tear until Portia kicked her," Jessica gave him a look.

He winced again, "Okay maybe it is partially her fault."

Jessica nodded.

"Cory's gonna kill her when she wakes up," Hunter smirked.

Jessica sighed, looking over at her sister, "Not if I kill her first."

-----------------------------

_1/2 Hour Later..._

John walked down the hall toward Cory's room, wondering how she would react when she was informed of the extent of her injuries. He got his answer when he reached the doorway. The doctor had come in and was talking to Cory, who was staring at him in disbelief, her blue eyes flooding with tears.

The doctor got up when he finished and came toward the door.

"I think the young lady might need a moment alone," the doctor advised.

John nodded but didn't move as the doctor left. The tears flowed down Cory's face and she stared at nothing in particular.

He walked in, sitting in the seat beside her bed.

"Told you something was wrong," she laughed bitterly, sniffing.

He couldn't imagine how she was feeling. She'd finally gotten her break in the business she worked so hard for and now, after a month on the job, she had a career threatening injury.

"Surgery and at least 4 months out," she said. "I just had my _first_ big match and now it's surgery and 4 god damn months out."

"You know this wasn't your fault," he said.

"Thanks John but that isn't making me feel better," she sniffed. She was about to say something when her voice failed her and she started to cry. John sat on the edge of her bed and wrapped his arms around her, wishing he could heal her or do something to make things better for her. But he couldn't. This situation was very serious and very real..and there wasn't anything anyone could do.

"You're a tough kid," John said, rubbing her back. "If I know you as well as I think, you'll be back in like..3 months."

She laughed, "That's not gonna happen this time."

"It could," he insisted.

"You think so?" she looked up at him.

"No," he shook his head. "I was just saying that."

She shook her head, lightly hitting him on the chest.

"I don't know what to do," she sighed.

"All you can do is take care of yourself," John said. "That's the only way you'll get to come back early.

-----------------------------

"So she has a torn MCL and a ruptured tendon," Jessica explained to James. She'd called him when she got back from the hospital to tell him about the pay-per-view.

"So?"

"So?" Jessica repeated. "James do you know what that's like for a person in this business? She's out of action for _at least_ 3 months."

"Hey, time off is a good thing," James laughed.

"James, Cory is my sister. I would think you would at least have the brains to _pretend_ to give a shit in this situation. But since you cant seem to be able to do that..let me explain something to you…In this business, we have storylines. When a person is hurt, the storyline goes on without them and they lose their spot. If said person is out for a long period of time, it is _extremely_ difficult to work that person back into a storyline so the writers have to come up with something 'completely' different for them. Cory got her developmental contract _one year_ ago. _One year_ James.. It took the writers an entire year to come up with something that they all liked enough to use her for, and now…because of this injury, that storyline has to be pushed aside completely. _Now_ do you see why this is so serious?"

"I guess so," James said softly.

"She gets to go home in the morning," Jessica explained. "John's probably gonna stay with her tonight."

"John?"

"Her boyfriend," Jessica said, annoyed. "Do you even remember _meeting_ my friends?"

"Listen honey I'm gonna go..you seem to be in a bad mood."

"Fine," Jessica hung up without saying anything else. She tossed her cell phone on the bedside table and leaned back against the wall. She thought of how understanding and sympathetic Hunter had been toward her sister at the hospital. She had expected James to act the same way but he had been insensitive and uncaring.

"Asshole," she mumbled.

-----------------------------

Randy strained his tired eyes to see the screen. Portia had asked him to look for what people were saying about the pay-per-view on his laptop and he'd finally found a 'Summerslam Injury Report' by someone named David Margolis.

"Listen to this," Randy said. " 'Now that Summerslam is over, we have the _Summerslam Injury Report_. From what we've heard, injuries were plenty tonight so we'll go match by match. The first match of the night blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…Portia Kelly versus Corinne Flair: The match started off great but then Portia obviously botched the spot where she hit Cory with the garbage can lid. When Cory hit _her_ she used the broad side of the lid, when Portia hit Cory, she hit her with the very edge and it obviously messed Cory up. She didn't seem right after that. Then, it was obvious that when Cory pulled herself up to avoid the baseball slide, something happened to her knee. She fell off the turnbuckle and the referee even looked concerned. After that, Portia Kelly committed the worst screw up of the night when she decided to treat Cory's knee like a football and give it a good running kick. Corinne was obviously hurt and from what we hear, the women ended the match early with Corinne winning as planned. From what my sources say, Flair has a torn MCL and a ruptured tendon and will have to have surgery. So I say this, good job to Portia Kelly. Congratulations on postponing a promising career.' "

Randy looked up at Portia, expecting to see that familiar cocky expression but instead she looked devastated. She sat down on her bed, some of her hair, still damp from her shower, clinging to her face.

"She's hurt that bad?" Portia asked. "Randy I didn't mean to do that."

"Right Portia," Randy rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you-

"Randy I'm serious," Portia insisted, running her hands through her hair. "I fucked up. I never meant to hurt her that bad."

Randy was amazed. Portia Kelly actually felt bad about something.

"She probably thinks I did it on purpose," Portia sighed.

"Could you blame her?"

"No," Portia shook her head. "But I can try to convince her that I didn't."

-----------------------------

John flipped through the channels on the TV, not really paying any attention to what he was watching. Cory was half asleep in the cramped bed beside him, her leg elevated. He knew he should probably get up and leave but he didn't want her to be alone. She was having one of the worst nights she'd had in a very long time and although she probably wouldn't admit it, she wanted him there.

-----------------------------


	20. Chapter 20

**Okay, I couldn't sleep and thus a new chapter is born...Read, Enjoy, & Review!**

**The Next Morning…**

"So Viveca agreed to hire Taylor?" John asked Chris as they sat in the waiting room. Taylor was in the hospital room with Cory, Jessica, Hunter, Mark, and Dawn.

Chris nodded, "I couldn't think of anybody more high maintenance than her."

"I'm not sure there is anyone," John laughed, then winced a little, sore from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.

"You okay?"

"Just slept funny," John said. "I didn't want her to be alone."

"Was she able to sleep?" Chris asked.

"They had her so doped up she had no problem," John laughed. "But I had to make sure she ate this morning so she didn't get sick from all the pain medicine."

"Well aren't you a good boyfriend?" Chris smirked.

"I'm not her boyfriend," John said. "I just wanted to make sure she was comfortable...And you're one to talk, running around getting Taylor a job and stuff."

"I'm just being a good friend," Chris insisted.

John nodded, "So am I."

-----------------------------

"What's your name sweetheart?" Viveca smiled as the next fan in line stepped up to the table.

"Michael."

"Nice to meet you Michael," she smiled, signing the poster that he laid on the table.

"I love you," he smiled. "You're awesome."

"I'm sure you are too," she laughed. He turned around, smiling as the friend he had with him took a picture. Once Viveca was done signing, she handed him the poster and he and his friend walked over to stand with the other fans who had already gotten their autograph. They were just standing and watching. She didn't mind at all.

Viveca turned around for a second to get her coffee.

"Viveca?"

She froze when she heard the voice. Her mother's voice. She turned slowly looking up into pale green eyes that were a mirror image of her own. She made sure to look as calm as possible, standing up and reaching over the table, taking her mother's hand.

"Excuse me for a second," she told the bodyguard that the company sent with her before she pulled the other woman with her. They walked to the back of the building, Viveca's heels clicking on the floor. She had known this moment was coming. It wasn't like her whereabouts were a secret. In a way, she was surprised that it had taken her mother so long to pop up.

"_What_ do you want?"

"To see my child Viveca," Lorraine said. "Is that such a crime?"

"Believe me, I wish it was," Viveca sneered. "I am on television _twice_ a week. Don't you see me enough?"

"Viveca, this has got to stop," Lorraine said. "I am your mother. I love you."

Viveca rolled her eyes, "I am not in the mood for this."

"For your family?" Lorraine asked. She sighed, "Vivie please...your father wanted to come but.."

"But what?" Viveca asked. Her mother didn't answer.

"But _what_?" Viveca asked, impatient.

Lorraine closed her eyes, searching for words.

Viveca shook her head, "I don't have time for this, I have a signing to finish. Do me a favor and leave from the back door."

-----------------------------

Lorraine put a hand over her mouth as her daughter stormed away, her pink dress swaying. She had never imagined that she would have such a damaged relationship with one of her children. She'd done everything she could to love, protect, and support her child but it hadn't been enough. In Viveca's mind, she'd made a mistake and as long as her daughter lived, she wasn't going to let her forget it.

-----------------------------

Portia felt her hands shaking a little and she hoped she didn't drop the plant she was holding. She'd been standing a few feet from the elevator for ten minutes. Cory's room was just down the hall and she was having some trouble convincing herself to take the 15 steps required to make it there. She was so sure of herself as she left the hotel and bought the damn plant, even driving to the hospital but now...now she was nervous. Knowing that it was put up or shut up time, she took a deep breath and forced herself to walk. When she reached the doorway, the guilty feeling intensified tenfold. Cory was sitting up, flipping through the channels. Her right leg was very heavily wrapped and her other was pulled up against her chest. Her chin was resting on her good knee, her eyes focused on the TV as she flipped through the channels.

Portia took another deep breath before slowly walking into the room.

"My grandmother used to say that every room needed a plant," Portia spoke.

Cory looked up at her with confused blue eyes.

"She said that rooms need plants so that there's always life there," Portia said, walking over and setting the plant down on the tray next to Cory's untouched lunch.

Cory leaned back against her headboard, turning the volume down on the TV as she looked at the plant for a few seconds and then looked up at Portia.

"I'm sitting in a hospital bed with a destroyed knee praying my career isn't over and you think a 10 dollar plant and a quote from your _fucking_ grandmother are gonna make me feel better?" she asked, her voice calm.

"Cory I-"

"If you're looking for John, he stepped out," Cory said.

"I'm not looking for John," Portia said. "I came to see you."

"Because you wanted to apologize?" Cory said, her left eyebrow arching high. "Or did you wanna take another shot at me? There aren't any can lids or anything in here so I suppose you'll have to improvise. You could probably take the guardrails off the bed."

Portia nodded, "I'm sorry Cory. I didn't realize that you were hurt when I kicked you. I _never_ meant to hurt you like that. I got caught up in my stupid anger. Never in my life have I _ever_ done anything so stupid and unprofessional."

"And the reason you were so angry...the reason you hate me so much...is because I'm with John, right?" she asked.

Portia nodded, knowing how stupid the whole situation seemed now.

"I was jealous," Portia admitted. "I tried to convince myself that maybe you two were faking it but seeing you two around each other...it's pretty undeniable. You two obviously have something. I have a hard time dealing with that. I didn't like seeing John with someone else and I handled things in the wrongest way possible."

"Yeah, yeah you did," Cory nodded, a bitter smile on her face. "I tried to stop you last night and you were so pissed off at me because of this thing with John that you wouldn't listen to me."

"I know," Portia looked down at her hands.

Cory shook her head, looking up at Portia, "How would you feel if I told you that you were all fired up about a relationship that never really existed?"

-----------------------------

"V, what's wrong?" Jeff asked as she paced back and forth. She'd come to his room right after her signing but barely said a word to him once she got there.

"Nothing," she shook her head, still pacing, her dark hair shining under the overhead light.

He stood up, taking her hand to stop her from walking, "Come on..I know you better than that...What's going on?"

She rested her head on his chest and Jeff could feel her hand shaking. He let it go, putting his arms around her.

"I don't wanna talk about it," she said.

"You don't have to," he said, running a hand over her hair. "But you know if you ever do..I'll listen."

She nodded, "I know."

They stood that way for a few seconds until Viveca pulled away, looking up at him, "Get your keys, I'm hungry."

He smirked, "You are a bossy little woman."

She smiled, "If you're gonna be with me, you'll just have to get used to it."

"Be with you?" he smirked.

She smiled, "Maybe."

Jeff leaned forward, his lips touching hers. He half-expected her to pull away but she didn't. To his surprise, she put her arms around his neck, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He lost himself in the kiss and could tell she did the same, her hands clenching his t-shirt. He smiled, pulling away when it got hard to breathe.

He rested his forehead against hers, "I thought you wanted to go eat."

She smiled, "I don't know..I think I like it right here."

-----------------------------

Portia shook her head, taking in what Cory just finished telling her.

"You worked that hard just to try and fool me and Randy?" she smirked.

Cory nodded, "Seems pretty silly now, doesn't it?"

Portia nodded, "The four of us have been acting like children."

"Some more than others," Cory pointed out.

"Yes, some more than others," Portia nodded.

"I cant believe anyone could act so nuts because of John," Cory smirked.

"John's a great guy," Portia shrugged. "You two may bump heads but he was obviously there for you last night. I cant remember the last time I saw him look so worried."

"He's not a bad friend I guess," Cory shrugged, looking down at her leg. Portia could see that there was more than friendship between John and Cory but she wasn't about to question the other woman any further. This was the first time they'd been able to sit and have a civil conversation, they weren't exactly girlfriends.

-----------------------------

John opened the door to Cory's room and was shocked to see Portia sitting in the chair near Cory's bed. They were talking to each other and, from what he could see, there was no kicking, scratching, hair pulling, or biting.

"Should I be afraid of this?" he asked.

"Welcome back," Cory said.

"Hey," he waved. "What's she doing in here?"

"We were having a heart to heart," Cory said dryly.

"You mean you didn't come to take out her other knee?" John asked his ex.

"Not this time," Portia shook her head.

"I told her the truth," Cory said.

"What?" John stared.

"There's no point in lying anymore," Cory shrugged. "I'm gonna be gone for a while, you're gonna have to figure out a way to fight her off on your own."

Portia laughed a little and John looked back and forth between the two women. It was obvious that they weren't buddies but they were talking. Just talking. It was weird.

"So when do you get to leave?" Portia asked Cory.

"I leave for Alabama for my surgery tomorrow," Cory answered.

John was surprised. For some reason it hadn't occured to him that she would be leaving immediately.

"What's the matter?" Cory asked him.

John realized he must have had a look on his face so he shook his head, trying for a neutral expression, "Nothing."

-----------------------------

_The Next Morning…_

Hunter knocked on the door to Jessica's room and waited. Mark and Dawn were already on their way to the car. The four of them were supposed to meet John and Cory at the hospital so that they could all go to the airport to see Cory off.

The door opened after a few seconds and Jessica yawned, "You're late."

"Good morning to you too sunshine," he laughed. "You ready to go?"

"Just about," she said. Jessica got her purse and keys and walked out into the hall with him, letting the door close behind her. She yawned again and Hunter put an arm over her shoulders, "Late night?"

"I was on the phone arguing with James," Jessica said. As if on cue, her phone rang in her pocket. She rolled her eyes, pulling it out and looking at the display. She rolled her eyes, handing it to Hunter. He laughed, shaking his head when he saw the name that showed up: _James_

-----------------------------

John gently pushed open the door to Cory's room. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, wearing a t-shirt and a denim skirt. She was pulling her hair up into a ponytail when she noticed him.

"Hey," he waved.

"Hey," she said, reaching for her crutches. She used them to stand, resting her weight on her good leg. The other was wrapped heavily and then strapped into an immobilizer.

"Nice shirt," he smirked at her Kenny Rogers 1985 World Tour t-shirt.

"Don't be jealous," she laughed.

"You all signed out?" he asked.

"Yes sir," she nodded. "Can you get my bag?"

He walked over, picking up the overnight bag Jessica had brought her.

"These crutches are _such_ a pain in the ass," she frowned, trying to get to the door.

"Well, you have to use them, like it or not," he held the door open for her as she made her way out of the room.

She frowned when she saw the wheelchair waiting for her in the hall.

"You only have to sit in it until we get outside," he said before she started complaining.

"Aren't the crutches bad enough?" she asked.

"Just sit in the chair please," he said.

She rolled her eyes and sat down in the chair, handing him the crutches. He was about to grab the handles but she started wheeling herself so he carried her bag and crutches as they journeyed to the elevator. They stopped in front of it, waiting for it to reach their floor and he watched as she stared down at her hands. She was doing her best to put on a brave front but he knew how devastated she was. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his.

She met his eyes with hers and took a deep breath, blinking to keep tears from falling.

"You know having surgery is what's best for you, right?" he asked.

She nodded, "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"It does mean that you should stop pouting," he touched her chin.

She narrowed her eyes at him and he laughed, gently resting his forehead against hers.

"You can handle this," he assured her.

She sighed, "I know, it just sucks. A lot."

-----------------------------

"You wanna hear something crazy?" Cory looked over at Mark.

"Always," Mark nodded.

Cory watched as John, Dawn, Jessica, and Hunter walked away. They were off in search of food to eat while they waiting for Cory's flight to start boarding. She sighed, "I'm actually gonna miss him...kind of."

"Kind of?" Mark smiled.

She shrugged, "A little..and don't you dare tell him."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want him to know," Cory insisted. "And because you will totally lose adoptive big brotherly status if you do."

"You forget, I'm not afraid of your little threats," he smirked.

"Then I'll be forced to use another tactics to ensure your silence," she said.

He was about to question her when her eyes widened the tiniest bit and she started pouting.

He sighed before she started the sniffling act, "Relax, I'm not gonna tell him."

"Damn right," she smiled.

"But I think you should tell him," Mark insisted. "If you feel something for him, he should know."

"Whoa there cowboy," she put a hand up. "I said I was gonna miss him a little. A smidge. I didn't say I have feelings for him."

Mark sighed, shaking his head, "You know how you can always tell how Dawn, and Jessie, and me are feeling even if we wont tell you?"

She nodded.

He put an arm over her shoulders, "Well I can always tell with you. Whether you wanna admit something or not. You're not as hard to read as you think."

-----------------------------

_1 Hour Later..._

"Oh please don't get all weepy on me," Cory hugged her sister tightly, laughing. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't want you to go, damn it," Jessica sniffed, smacking her sister on the shoulder.

"I'll see you soon, calm down," Cory said, hugging her again.

"I'm willing to take Portia out if you want me to," Jessica offered.

"I don't think that's necessary," Cory laughed. "But don't take any shit from her either."

Jessica nodded, still holding her tightly.

"A little help here?" Cory looked over at Hunter.

Hunter laughed, putting a comforting hand on Jessica's back. Jessica let her go and Cory opened her arms to Hunter as much as she could without dropping her crutches.

"See ya later big guy," she laughed as he hugged her.

"You'll be back in no time," he promised, mussing her hair.

"Of course," she smiled.

Cory looked over at Dawn who was standing away from the group with tears in her eyes. She seemed the most affected by Cory's leaving. Cory sighed, "Get over here."

Dawn walked over and hugged her tightly.

"This is unfair," Dawn whispered.

"I know," Cory said. "But you gotta take what life throws at you."

"Did you get that from a card or something?" Dawn laughed.

"That or the side of a bus," Cory shrugged. "I'm gonna see you all the time so I don't want any blubbering because I'm leaving..got it?"

Dawn nodded, squeezing her one last time before letting her go.

-----------------------------

John wasn't sure what to do or say when Cory looked over at him. She'd hugged and said goodbye to everyone and Mark was waiting to help her get settled on the plane.

She hobbled over to him, still having trouble getting used to her crutches. He met her halfway not wanting her to have to go too far out of her way.

"I guess I'll see you in a few months," she smiled.

He nodded, "Stay out of trouble."

"How am I gonna have any fun?"

"It's been...interesting," he smirked.

"That it has," she nodded.

"We gotta get goin' kid," Mark said.

"Do we hug or what?" she laughed.

He laughed, giving her a quick hug. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was going to miss her. He doubted that she felt the same way though. Her focus was her recovery.

"I'll see you later," she smiled.

He waved as she turned around and Mark helped her toward the gate.

-----------------------------


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21...**

**6 Months Later…**

_Orlando, Florida_

"Boo!"

John looked up from his menu to see Jessica standing in front of him.

"Hey Jess," he smiled.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked, pulling out the chair across from him.

"It is now," he shrugged. "What's up?"

"I have a very special invitation for you," Jessica smiled.

"Why Jessica, I didn't know you felt that way about me," he joked.

"That's a disturbing thought," she said.

"Oh thanks," he feigned hurt. She gave him a look and he laughed, "Okay, where is it?"

"It's a verbal invite," she explained. "To a welcome back party for my sister."

John hoped his expression remained neutral at the mention of her. He'd heard that Cory was coming back soon but it seemed no one could tell him exactly how soon.

"She's coming back, huh?" he looked down at his menu. "When?"

"Saturday," Jessica answered.

Saturday? That was only 3 days away. Cory was coming back in 3 days.

"Saturday?" he nodded. "I didn't know that."

"Oh stop trying to act all cool when we both know you wanna giggle like a little school girl," Jessica teased.

John wouldn't quite put it that way but he didn't deny that he was looking forward to Saturday more now than he was a few minutes ago.

"Dawn and I are planning a little party to celebrate her recovery and return and I figured as her former faux boyfriend, you might want to be there."

John shrugged, "Why not?"

"You're really pushing this unaffected thing, aren't you?" she stood up. "It's cute...I'll see you later."

"Later J," he waved.

He felt a huge smile spread across his face as she left.

"I can see that," she called over her shoulder. "You missed her."

"Goodnight Jess," he said as she walked out of the restaurant.

The truth was, John did miss Cory. In the entire 6 months that she was gone, he hadn't seen her in person once. They'd exchanged a few emails but they were always short. Either she was updating him on her recovery or congratulating him on a good match or something. He knew Dawn, Mark, Jessica, and Hunter had all gone to see her whenever they got a chance and they usually invited him but he was usually booked for some personal appearance or TV show or something. In November, she was chosen to become Gene Okerlund's co-host on WWE Confidential but he never really got a chance to watch the show. Once he was actually scheduled to be interviewed by her and, though he wouldn't tell anyone, he was excited about it. They were supposed to film an edition of her weekly segment 'Busting In With Corinne Flair', which gave viewers a glimpse of their favorite superstars houses. Then, a few days before they were scheduled to tape it, he found out that she had to fly to Texas with her mother and sister Regina to see her ailing grandfather. John was interviewed by Gene instead. It was amazing to him that he could miss a person that usually drove him crazy when they were around each other.But regardless of how little sense it made, he missed having her around.

-----------------------------------

_New York City_

"How many bags do you have?" Hunter laughed as Cory came down the stairs with another suitcase.

"I'll answer that if you tell me exactly what it is you're doing," she said, pushing her hair out of her face. "Because if I remember correctly, I invited you over to help me get ready to go back on the road, not sit on my couch, watch my TV, and eat my food."

"Your refrigerator has enough in it to feed a small country, you have an enormous TV and an _incredibly_ comfortable couch," Hunter smirked. "You had to know that this was gonna happen."

"I figured it might take place _after_ the luggage got down the stairs," she climbed over the back of the couch and plopped down next to him, reaching into the bag of chips he had.

Hunter looked around Cory's penthouse, in awe. This wasn't the first time he'd been to her apartment but it was still impressive. Jessica divulged to him once that Cory's 19th floor, 2 story penthouse, a gift from her grandmother and grandfather was worth 5 million dollars.

"So we're giving up on packing?" Cory asked, eating another chip.

"Oh yeah," Hunter nodded. "For at least an hour. We should get a pizza or something."

"You never eat pizza," she laughed. "You sure you don't want baked chicken breast and steamed vegetables?"

"You don't eat crap either, so don't start" he pointed at her.

They were silent for a few seconds and then she looked over at him, "Now you made me start thinking about pizza."

"I'll pay," he offered.

She picked up the phone beside the couch, "I'll call the doorman."

"You have to call the doorman?" he smirked.

"It's a highly secured building, he needs to know it's okay to let the pizza man up," Cory explained.

Hunter smirked, "You say that like it's completely normal."

She rolled her eyes, "Just shut up and get out your pizza money."

-----------------------------

Taylor folded another sweater, adding it to the pile. She was doing her best to keep busy but she was having trouble keeping her nerves in check. She'd been trying to get a hold of Viveca for hours and her boss wasn't returning her calls. She and Jeff were spending the few days they had off in North Carolina. She'd tried both of their cell phones _and_ Jeff's home phone but got nothing. Normally she wouldn't panic if she couldn't get a hold of Viveca, but these weren't normal circumstances. Taylor was at Viveca's apartment folding up a bunch of old clothes that she'd convinced the other woman needed to be given to good will when the phone rang. Like a dutiful personal assistant, Taylor answered the call and was shocked when the caller identified herself as Viveca's mother, Lorraine. Viveca had told her once that she didn't speak to her family and never elaborated. If there was one thing Taylor could understand, it was a screwed up family situation so she never pushed. Her mother's voice sounded a lot like Viveca's, just a little deeper. The older woman explained in a shaky voice that she knew her daughter didn't want to speak to her but it was urgent. Her father was in the hospital and the doctors were predicting that he didn't have much time left. Lorraine barely finished before breaking into choked sobs. Taylor was stunned and speechless. She expressed her sympathy for the family and promised Lorraine that she would get her daughter there right away. Now Taylor was sitting, organizing clothes by season and then putting them into boxes, trying to wait a few minutes before placing another call. Her phone rang on the couch behind her and she jumped reaching for it and quickly pressing it to her ear, "Viveca?"

"Guess again," she heard Chris's voice.

She smiled, feeling herself relax a little, "Hi Chris. What's up?"

"Not a whole lot," he answered. "I was calling to check up on you. I thought you might be drowning in a sea of Viveca's clothes by now."

"I wouldn't say drowning," Taylor smirked. "More like slightly uncomfortably submerged."

"Been at it all day?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she picked up another shirt. "How are you enjoying your day off?"

"I wouldn't call it one," he said. "I had a radio interview this morning, after that I went to the gym, then I came back and went grocery shopping."

"You went grocery shopping?" Taylor laughed, knowing how much he hated that particular domestic task.

"I did," he said. "And I loathed every minute of it."

"I bet," she laughed.

"You know, Mrs. Connelly was asking about us again," Chris said, sounding amused.

Taylor groaned, rolling her eyes. Chris had helped Taylor get an apartment in his building and the day she moved in she met Mrs. Connelly, quite possibly the nosiest old woman she'd ever come in contact with. She was nice enough but she refused to accept that Chris and Taylor were just friends.

"She never gives up," Chris laughed. "I tell her we're just friends and she just gives me that look."

"I know that look well," Taylor said. "Eventually she'll realize it's not like that."

"If she doesn't we're just gonna have to start dating," he said.

Taylor shook her head, laughing. She couldn't blame Mrs. Connelly for her assumptions. Most people thought there was something going on with her and Chris but the truth was, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't allow herself to get into a relationship. She'd finally gotten her life on track but sometimes she still felt like she was standing on melting ice and the smallest misstep would send her crashing down to rock bottom. She was more stable mentally, the dreams were less frequent but there were still nights that she woke up screaming in a cold sweat or crying so hard her throat felt raw and her chest hurt. She couldn't let anyone close enough to see that. She couldn't let Chris close enough. He would ask questions, questions she didn't want to answer.

She heard a beep and pulled the phone away from her ear, seeing the name 'Viveca'. "Chris, I've got someone on the other line..I'll give you a call in the morning."

"Okay, talk to you then," he said.

"Bye," she said, then quickly pushed a button to switch over to Viveca, "Hello?"

"Hey there," came Viveca's chipper response. Taylor's voice caught in her throat, how could she tell her?

"Taylor?" Viveca sounded confused.

"Hey," Taylor ran a hand through her hair.

"I got your messages, Jeff and I were out," she said. "What's so urgent?"

"I um...I don't really know how to say this," Taylor said.

"Just blurt it out, that's the best way," Viveca said. Taylor could hear Jeff's muffled voice then Viveca giggling and shushing him.

"Your mother called," Taylor said.

"Oh _God_," Viveca sighed dramatically. "What did she want?"

"It's..it's about your father..."

-----------------------------------

"So how does it feel to finally be back?" Hunter asked as he and Cory sat with the pizza box between them, watching TV.

"Incredible," Cory smiled. "I missed you guys a lot more than I thought I would."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he smirked, picking up another slice. "By the way, John told me to tell you Hi."

"Really?" Cory smiled, her eyes lighting up. When she realized how she reacted, she wiped the expression from her face, trying to look neutral, "I mean..that's nice. How is he?"

"He's good," Hunter took a bite.

"Is he seeing anybody?" she asked, obviously trying to sound indifferent as she pulled a piece of pepperoni off of her half of the pizza and ate it.

"Why do you ask?" Hunter looked over at her, amused.

"I'm just asking," she shrugged.

"I didn't think you'd care," he smiled.

"I don't care," she insisted.

"You asked," he laughed.

"I was wondering…I _inquired_," she said. "I don't _care_."

"I'm sure you don't," he said.

"I don't."

"Okay then," he smiled.

"Alright then," she nodded.

"Fine," he said, wondering how far she would go.

"Fine, fine, fine," she smiled with an edge of irritation.

"I'll let him know you asked."

"I'll kick your ass," she threatened.

He smiled, "Try it."

"You know what...just for that," Cory got up with a menacing look in her eye. "We're watching it again."

Hunter shook his head, "No way...I am not watching that movie again."

"Oh yes you are," Cory nodded. "I had it all ready just in case you pissed me off."

Hunter sighed when she started the DVD. Whenever Cory got mad at him she made him watch the musical South Pacific, quite possibly one of the most boring movies on Earth, as a punishment. She loved it and he could never understand why. Even she admitted it was boring, she claimed to just love the songs.

"You know, my masculinity drops like 10 points every time you force me to watch this," he leaned back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "Cant we just watch one of your grandmother's movies where she's walking around in a nightgown?"

Cory slapped him hard on the arm.

"What?" he laughed. "Your grandmother was a fox."

"She still is," Cory smiled. "But for lusting after my grandmother, you get to watch South Pacific with the volume all the way up."

-----------------------------------

"Done darlin'?" Mark asked as Dawn stumbled out of the bathroom, running a hand through her hair, her skin looking sallow.

"This isn't funny," she pointed at him, plopping down on the bed. He got up from the chair he was sitting in and walked to the bathroom, dampening a cloth with cold water. He walked back into the room, stopping when he saw her lying on the bed with her arms tightly wrapped around her stomach. He sat down beside her, brushing her long waves away from her face and dabbing the cloth on her forehead and neck.

"I never said it was funny," he said quietly. "Feeling any better?"

She shook her head, her eyes closed, "Why did I drink so much?"

Mark wished he knew. He noticed that lately, Dawn had spent more and more time in hotel bars at night. More than once he'd come upon her stumbling to her hotel room and night. He always helped her inside and made sure she was okay before returning to his own room, unable to sleep because he wanted to know what was going on with her. They were talking less and Mark had stooped to calling Cory to get information. Cory admitted that she was worried too but couldn't tell Mark what was wrong. He wasn't sure if she said she couldn't because she didn't know or because she didn't want to break Dawn's trust but he didn't push.

He looked down at her, "I don't know Dawn...maybe you're trying to forget about something."

She looked away, not saying anything. Her eyes closed again when he touched the cold towel to her neck.

"What's been on your mind?" he asked.

"You," she answered honestly.

He was surprised at her answer knowing she was only admitting this because she was still under the effects of the liquor.

"What about me?" he asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it," she shook her head. "I'm tired and I don't feel good."

"Okay," he said, a little frustrated but careful not to show it. "You want me to go so you can get some shut eye?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

He gently touched her cheek and nodded, "Whatever you want darlin'."

-----------------------------

Taylor closed her laptop and turned off her phone. She'd reserved a plane ticket for Viveca and called Lorraine to let her know she was coming. Once she was sure that was done, she finished packing up the clothes for the good will and loaded them into her rental car. She would drop them off in the morning. Now, she was in her hotel room and in desperate need of some sleep. She changed into pants and an oversized t-shirt and pulled back the covers, crawling into bed and covering herself up. She could feel a headache coming on and prayed she could get to sleep before it got bad. She closed her eyes just as she felt a sharp pain in her temple.

_"Leave me alone!" Taylor cried, her voice straining in desperation as she pushed him away._

_"Shut up!"_

_"What did I do?" she cried._

_"You know god damn well what you did!"_

_"No I don't," Taylor sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. "Why are you doing this to me?"_

Taylor squeezed her eyes shut tight, trying to suppress the memories that crept into her consciousness. She didn't know what triggered them this time, all she knew was that she needed them to stop. She wasn't strong enough to handle them. She pushed the covers away, standing up and running a hand through her hair. She rubbed her face and could faintly hear herself whispering 'Go away' over and over.

_"Stupid bitch."_

_"You sniveling little idiot, your mother never should have had you. You weren't worth the effort."_

Taylor stopped, sobs racking her body. She dropped to her knees beside the bed, her forehead resting on the mattress as she cried, clutching the sheets.

"_Go away_," she cried. "Why cant you leave me alone?"

-----------------------------

_Cameron, North Carolina_

Jeff rolled over in bed, wrapping his arm around Viveca's sleeping form. His girlfriend felt...not like his girlfriend. He opened his eyes, frowning when he saw his arm resting on a pillow. He pushed himself up on his elbows, looking around the room. Viveca was nowhere to be seen and he didn't hear her moving anywhere in the house. He rolled over and then sat up slowly, rubbing his head, still feeling groggy. He heard a crumpling sound and looked around until he spotted a piece of paper that was about to fall off the bed. He grabbed up, rubbing his eyes a little. Once he was able to focus, he read the quickly scrawled note.

_Jeff-_

_Had to go. I'll be back. Don't call me, I'll call you. I promise. Sorry I left the way I did, I was in a hurry and had a plane to catch. This all happened pretty suddenly, don't know how long I'll be gone..Don't be mad. I love you._

_V_

Jeff was tempted to defy her wishes and pick up the phone to call her but she probably wouldn't answer. He wanted to know what this emergency was and why she couldn't wake him up but he was sure she'd call him soon. He looked at the note again, smiling a little when he looked at the words 'I love you'. He never got tired of hearing that from her. She'd actually been the one to say it first, though she vehemently denied it. He hadn't been feeling well one night and she'd spent hours taking care of him. He closed his eyes and she was stroking his hair and when she thought he'd fallen asleep, she said it. He heard her but didn't say anything. The next day he brought it up and she said he was dreaming. They didn't 'officially' say it until about a week later when he arranged a special dinner for her at her favorite restaurant in New York. He sat back against his headboard, looking over at his phone on the nightstand. He would give her until morning, then he was going to find out what was going on.

-----------------------------

_The Next Morning..._

_Newark, New Jersey_

Lorraine looked up when she heard the bell signaling the elevator was arriving on their floor. Her heart nearly beat through her chest when she saw her daughter,, long hair flowing as she rushed toward the waiting room. She stood, trying to muster a smile.

Viveca held up a hand before Lorraine could hug her, "_Don't_."

"Viveca-"

"Where's my father?" Viveca asked, her voice shaky. She was still putting on her big angry front but Lorraine knew her daughter and she could see in her eyes that she was frightened.

"He's down the hall that way," Lorraine answered. "The fourth room on the right."

"Don't you want to-"

"No," Viveca turned, walking down the hall.

-----------------------------

Viveca could hear her heart beating in her ears as she walked to her father's room. She slowly pushed open the door, holding her breath. She hadn't seen him in about for years. He looked like a completely different person. She could feel her whole body shaking as she took a few steps into the room. The Thomas Johnson she remembered was tall and broad shouldered with thick jet black hair and warm blue eyes. He always had a hug and a smile for everyone who came near him. He was fun and friendly, despite his imposing frame. Her mother always called him a big teddy bear. This man was different. He looked so much smaller. His hair was almost completely gone, some of it still resting on his pillow as if ready to reattach. His broad shoulders were no longer covered in muscle. Instead, it seemed as if his skin was struggling to cling to his bones. His tan was gone, replaced by a pale, unhealthy pallor. He was hooked to countless machines and the beeping in the room was almost hypnotic. She walked to his bedside wanting to touch his small thin hand. Her manicured nails stopped beside him and her breath caught in her throat. The beeping, the sterile smell, and the sight of her father so frail and seemingly lifeless was too much. She put a hand over her mouth and rushed out of the room.

-----------------------------

John looked across the table at Mark. They'd both been pretty quiet as they ate breakfast, both lost in thought. Mark looked like he hadn't slept much. John had slept like a baby for most of the night but he woke up after having a horrendously romantic dream about Cory. He hated dreams like that. There wasn't even any sex, just mushiness.

He looked up from his food, knowing if there was anyone he could talk to that wouldn't make fun of him, it was Mark.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Mark ate a piece of bacon, wordlessly waiting for John to continue.

"How do you tell somebody you missed them without being sappy?" John asked.

"You don't," Mark answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's not possible."

John laughed, finishing his water, "Thanks man. That helps."

"It's the truth," Mark barely cracked a smile. "Is this about Cory?"

John shrugged.

"It is," Mark nodded. "Dawn invite ya to the party?"

"Jessie," John said. "I want her to know I missed her but..I don't wanna deal with her giving me shit."

"Oh she's gonna give you shit," Mark laughed. "She'll probably call you a wuss or something."

"You know..it would help if maybe I knew how she was feeling," John said. "Like if she'd confided to one of her closest friends that maybe she missed me a little."

Mark gave John a stern look, "Don't try to pump me for information John. It wont work."

John sighed, "Alright then, can you at least tell me what to do?"

Mark smiled, "Just try not to put your foot in your mouth."

-----------------------------

Lianna Johnson looked down at her hands, frowning at her chipped nail polish. She looked over at her younger brother Liam's sleeping form in the chair next to her. He'd asked her to only let him sleep for a half hour but he'd been out for almost two. She didn't have the heart to wake him. He wasn't missing anything. Their father was getting worse and worse and he didn't need to be awake to watch it. Her mother brought her a cup of coffee and she gratefully accepted it, downing almost a fourth of it. She didn't even taste the liquid but she was glad she felt the heat going down her throat. She'd been so numb lately it actually surprised her.

"Have you eaten anything mom?"

Lorraine's looked like she'd lost 10 pounds in two days. Her hands shook as she held her own cup of coffee, her green eyes focused on her wedding ring.

"William went to get us something to eat," Lorraine said quietly.

William, Lianna's oldest sibling, was doing the best at keeping together. She knew he was hurting just as much as everyone else but William was doing his best to stay calm and make sure everyone else was taken care of. He'd surprised her. She loved her brother dearly but he wasn't usually the type to put everyone else first.

Lianna heard heels clicking loudly and she looked up, surprised to see her older sister coming from the direction of their father's room. She didn't have time to be surprised because before she could even think, Viveca was yelling at her mother.

"Where is my father?!" Viveca asked, tears spilling from her eyes. "What the hell did you do to him? That man in that room is _not_ my father!"

"_Your_ father?" Lianna laughed, standing up. She couldn't control her anger, she didn't have the energy. "Since when has he been _your_ father? You haven't bothered to acknowledge his existence in _years_!"

"Shut up Lianna," Viveca pointed.

"No you shut up Viveca," Lianna fumed. "You haven't talked to any of us in years and now you come in here and act like the whole fucking world is falling down on you and you alone."

"Shut up!" Viveca pointed again. "I am _not_ in the mood for this right now!"

"Because you know it's true," Lianna glared. She felt her face getting hot as she stared at her sister for the first time in a very long time. The sister she'd looked up to her entire life until she walked out on her family, choosing her boyfriend over the people who'd loved and supported her for her entire life.

"We've been dealing with this for almost two years," Lianna sniffed, feeling tears in her eyes. She angrily wiped them away. "You just got here so don't act like this is only happening to _you_ and don't you _dare_ attack my mother."

"Go to hell Lianna," Viveca glared.

"Right after you," Lianna spat back.

-----------------------------

"Stop it!" Lorraine yelled, standing up. "None of this is going help your father."

She looked back and forth between her daughters. She'd prayed for years to have all of her children in the same room again but not like this. She wanted desperately to hug them both but she knew that wasn't a good idea.

"Yelling at each other like children isn't going to make him better," she said, fighting back sobs.

"Lianna don't be so angry with Viveca," Lorraine said. "She's here now...that's what matters."

"She's here because he's gonna die," Lianna said, the look in her eyes surprising her mother. She'd never seen her youngest daughter look at anyone with as much disdain as she was directing at Viveca. "She might as well be a vulture."

"What's going on?"

Lorraine looked over her shoulder, glad to see her eldest child walk into the waiting room. He put down the food he was carrying, his eyes scanning the room and landing on Viveca.

"It's a welcome home party Will," Lianna laughed bitterly. "You all have fun...I need some air."

Lianna walked away and William went after her. Tears began streaming down Viveca's face again and Lorraine reached for her daughter.

Viveca stopped her once again, "Don't."

-----------------------------

_Saturday..._

Cory felt the smile stretching across her face as she walked into her hotel room, dropping her bags on the floor. She, Dawn, Jessica, and Portia had just gone to lunch and then did a little shopping and now she had to get ready for the party that Dawn and Jessie _insisted_ on throwing for her. Cory breathed in the air, turning around and surveying her surroundings. She couldn't believe how much she'd missed just being in hotel rooms. She plopped down on the bed that thousands of people had done god knows what on before she got there. She looked down at the ugly comforter and smiled, tracing the paisley print with her fingernail. She stood up, giggling like a five year old.

"Okay Samms, calm yourself," she said, running a hand through her hair, trying to figure out what to wear that night. She looked at herself in the mirror, pulling off the sunglasses she was wearing. Everyone she'd seen so far told her how amazing she looked. Her hair had grown a few inches and was now black with a dark red tint. The red had clung to her hair more in some places than others which wasn't her intention but she grew to like it more than what she had planned. Originally, she only dyed her hair to shock her mother, who had annoyed her into spending a month of her recovery time with her. In addition to the change in hair color, she'd developed a bit of a fascination with tattoos, getting five: a tribal heart on her lower back, the Chinese symbol for Healing on her right ankle, another heart - a small pink outline very low on her hip, a tiny star and a crescent moon near her left shoulder blade, and the letters ES for her stepfather above her left ankle. Spending time with her mother had definitely sent her back to her rebellious phase. She couldn't help it, Adelle had that effect on her.

Cory found herself wondering what John would think of the changes as she unpacked the bags containing her most recent purchases. She'd tried her best not to think about him or ask about him knowing that she would see him later but it was difficult. As much as it pained her to admit it, she was looking forward to seeing him again. His steely blue eyes and that smile and...

Cory shook her head, "God, what is wrong with me?"

-----------------------------


	22. Chapter 22

**So the last chapter didn't seem to go over terribly well, I promise the story is getting better, not worse...at least I hope it is...hopefully this chapter gets a better response. The last chapter was a smidge uneventful but be patient..There's drama afoot!! As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 22...**

_Saturday Night..._

"Welcome back!" Taylor held her arms out and Cory rushed up, hugging her. She'd talked to Taylor quite a bit in her time off but she hadn't seen her in about four months.

"You look _great_," Cory smiled, taking a step back to look at her friend. Taylor had gained some much needed weight and looked a lot healthier than she had when they first met. Her face was even a little fuller and her hair had grown.

"So do you," Taylor smiled. "Having fun?"

"Of course," Cory smiled. "I'm actually glad Jessie and Dawn ignored my protests. It's good seeing everybody."

"Chris told me you're back to work on Monday," Taylor said.

"That's the rumor," Cory smiled. "Vince has changed his mind a few times though so I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cory saw the door of the bar open and, as she had all night, felt a little anxious as she waited to see who was coming in. A disappointed sigh escaped her when a short skinny man she didn't recognize walked into the establishment.

"Don't worry, he's coming," Taylor smiled.

Cory took a sip of her drink and then looked at her friend questioningly, "Who?"

"The person you're watching the door for," Taylor said.

Cory raised a brow at her.

Taylor rolled her eyes, "_John_."

"I am _not_ watching the..." Cory trailed off when Taylor gave her a look.

"Okay fine I am," Cory downed the rest of her drink. "He's late. Jessie told everyone to be here a half hour ago."

"Maybe he's standing in front of the mirror trying to figure out what to wear," Taylor said.

Cory rolled her eyes, "I don't care how he looks he just better get his ass here before I leave."

"He will," Taylor assured her. "Don't worry."

-----------------------------

Jessica waited at the bar for another beer, smiling and waving at a couple who were staring at her and holding up their cell phones, trying to take a picture.

"I hope that picture doesn't end up on the internet with a caption calling you a booze hound."

She smiled, turning to face Hunter and picking up her beer, "They're still taking pictures. If anything there'll be a picture of us and they'll say we were making out all night or something."

"James wouldn't like that," Hunter smirked.

"James is on vacation in Japan with his friends," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"James has friends?" Hunter asked.

"Very funny," she made a face at him. "He was supposed to come visit _me_ then one of his buddies invited him to Tokyo and..the rest is history."

"You amaze me," he said.

She waited for him to elaborate though she was pretty sure she already knew what he would say.

"I called you after noon on your birthday and you almost hung up on me," Hunter said. "But James can ditch you to go across the world and you don't yell at him."

"Who said I didn't yell at him?" she asked.

"I don't see him anywhere around," he looked around the room.

"I'm not that girl," Jessica shrugged. "I'm not gonna tell him not to go out with his friends because I need attention."

"You are that girl Jess," he laughed. "You're bossy and demanding. It's who you are."

"Thanks Hunter," she stared at him, offended.

He shrugged, "_I_ like who you are."

-----------------------------

Viveca sat in her rental car, resting her forehead on the steering wheel. She hadn't felt so exhausted in ages. She was supposed to be on her way to the airport but she didn't think she had the energy to drive. If she missed her flight she would just take another one. She wanted to get back to Jeff, to be in his arms, to cry on his shoulder but at the same time, she didn't want to deal with all the questions he would have. Where was she? Why was she upset? What happened? What would she tell him? That her father was dying and she had to rush to the side of a man she hadn't seen in years and see a family that she'd abandoned. People she didn't like that didn't like her. For some reason she'd thought that William would be the angriest with her. He didn't say much to her but he didn't radiate hatred either. Lianna had always been timid and quiet. Viveca never thought in a million years that her younger sister would blow up at her the way she did. She only saw Liam one time, that first day at the hospital and he was asleep. The next few days Lorraine had insisted he stay home because he wasn't feeling well so she didn't have much of a chance to talk to her youngest sibling. He probably hated her too. She sniffed, feeling tears welling in her eyes again. She was so angry with all of them. Angry with them for being mad at her, angry with them for waiting to tell her her father was sick, angry with them for getting to be there when she wasn't. The tears flowed, dropping onto the steering wheel and Viveca could do nothing but watch. She'd cried so much in the past three days that her eyes hurt. Her throat hurt from sobbing. Her hand hurt from hitting it against a wall earlier during yet another shouting match with Lianna. The doctors said that her father's condition wasn't getting any worse and William suggested to her that, for everyone's sanity including her own, she go back to work and they would call her if necessary. She'd been dismissed from her father's bedside. She put her bags in her rental car, called Taylor, made the arrangements to fly out but now she was just sitting there in the stupid car and the same question kept running through her head. If her brothers and sister could hate her for not being there...did her father hate her too?

-----------------------------

John looked around, trying to figure out where the hell he was. Leave it to Jessica to pick a bar 15 minutes away when there were at least 3 within a mile of the hotel. Dawn gave him the directions and he followed them exactly and now he was sitting in the parking lot of a gas station amazed that it had slipped his mind that Dawn was _horrible_ with directions. This night was not going well. He fell asleep watching TV at around 5 didn't wake up until 8. Jessica had ordered him to be at the bar at 8:30. He took a shower and got dressed, called Dawn for directions, then spent almost 5 minutes trying to find the keys to his rental.

He looked at the clock on the dashboard, sighing when he saw that it was 9:15.

He picked up his cell phone, dialing Mark's number.

"Cena, where are you?" came the gruff greeting.

John sighed, "Lost."

"Lost?" Mark asked. "Well you better get your ass here soon. Cory's watching the door and Jessica was in a bad mood when she got here."

"Your girl gave me bad directions," John said.

"My girl?" Mark sounded confused. Then he laughed, "Dawn? You took directions from Dawn?"

"Yeah, I know, bad idea," John said. "Can you help me?"

After a little more teasing, Mark asked where he was and John told him and Mark told him how to get to the bar.

"Thanks man," John said, relieved. "One more question..is she mad?"

"I wouldn't say _mad_," Mark said. "She looks more disappointed."

"Which means I'm in more trouble, right?" John asked.

"Pretty much."

-----------------------------

_15 Minutes Later..._

Cory watched Dawn as she stumbled out of the bathroom, a hand over her stomach.

"I'll be right back," she cut Hunter off mid-sentence, rushing over to her friend.

"D, what's wrong?" Cory walked over, helping her to a bar stool.

"Nothing," Dawn shook her head, mustering up a smile.

"Liar," Cory frowned. "Are you drunk?"

Dawn was quiet for a few seconds then sighed, "I might have had a few too many."

"Do you need to go back to the hotel?" Cory asked.

"No, honey, I'm fine," Dawn insisted. "I'm just gonna drink some water. Enjoy your party and stop worrying."

"You're _sure_ you don't need to go to the hotel?" Cory asked.

Dawn nodded, "Positive."

"Alright," Cory sat on the stool next to her friend. She leaned against the bar, still concerned. Something was wrong.

"I mean it, stop worrying," Dawn said as if she read her mind.

"Fine, fine," Cory laughed. "I'll enjoy the party."

"Please do," Dawn said.

Cory heard something near the door but did her best not to look. John obviously wasn't coming and there was no point in getting worked up over it. She heard her phone ringing in her pocket and stood up, "I'm gonna go outside. I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Dawn insisted.

-----------------------------

John watched the door, smiling when he saw it open. Cory walked out of the bar, cell phone in hand. She looked amazing. She wore a pair of tight jeans that were ripped at one knee and a Journey t-shirt that showed off a few inches of flat stomach. Her dark hair was curled loosely, her bangs clipped away from her face. She looked at the phone to see who was calling. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in annoyance when she saw who it was.

"Hello," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it's me," he said, hoping she couldn't hear him.

"Hey John," she said, hand on her hip. "Nice of you to call instead of, you know, coming to my party."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was gonna come but then there was this movie on TV that I really wanted to see."

"A movie?" she looked shocked. "Oh that's just lovely. You know what John, you go enjoy your movie. I'll talk to you later."

"But I-"

Cory hung up before he could say anything else, closing her phone and crossing her arms over her chest.

There was a bench a few feet away and she sat down, obviously annoyed, dropping her phone next to her. John knew if he waited much longer she would go back inside so he got out of his rental, walking toward her.

"Something wrong Princess?"

She looked confused, looking around to see where the voice was coming from. Then, she spotted him, standing up and smiling.

"You jerk," she rushed over to him and he hugged her tightly.

"You should have seen the look on your face," he said, arms still wrapped around her. He looked down, admiring the new tattoo on her back, among other things.

"Tats and dark hair," he smirked as she pulled away. "When did you turn into a badass?"

"Tats and dark hair don't make you a badass," she said. "If that was all it took, I would have told you to dye your hair a long time ago."

"Ha ha," he caught her wrist to keep her from patting the top of his head. To his surprise, she hugged him again.

He smiled, gently running his hand over her hair, "Miss me?"

"No," she mumbled against his shoulder.

"Yeah, I didn't miss you either," he said, strongly resisting the urge to kiss the top of her head.

They stayed that way for a few seconds before she pulled away, grabbing his hand, "Come on, it's cold out here."

-----------------------------

"Can I show you something?" Jeff asked, sitting next to Dawn.

"That depends on what it is Jeff," Dawn sighed.

Jeff laughed, reaching into his pocket.

Dawn closed her eyes for a second and she put her hand over her stomach.

"You okay?" he asked.

She nodded, "I just feel a little sick. I'll live."

Jeff was concerned but Dawn gave him a look and he didn't press any further.

"What'd you need to show me?" she asked.

"This," he pulled the small velvet box out of his pocket.

Her mouth formed a wide O and she snatched the box from him, snapping it open, "Oh my God. Does this mean...are you gonna...?"

Jeff nodded, "You think she'll like it?"

"Jeff it's a diamond," Dawn laughed. "This is Viveca we're talking about. She'll love it."

Jeff smiled, "You think she'll say yes?"

-----------------------------

The surprise was just beginning to wear off for Hunter. He and Jessica were sitting with John and Cory, exchanging random stories. John and Cory were sitting pretty close together and to everyone's surprise, aside from a few playful jabs, they hadn't said anything mean to each other.

"I'll be right back," Jessica said, getting up and walking to the bar.

"So what was it like sitting on your ass for 6 months?" John asked Cory.

Hunter winced when he saw Cory's eyebrow shoot up.

_There goes the peace_

She put her drink down, "Is that what you think I was doing?"

"Forgive me, I forgot the one day a week you film Confidential," John smirked.

Cory's big blue eyes turned to slits, "Just because I'm not in the ring every day doesn't mean I don't do any work John."

"I didn't say you don't do _any_," John said. "Just not a lot."

"I do a lot more than just stand in a studio once a fucking week," she glared.

"Like what?" John asked.

"You are _such_ dick," Cory stared.

"How am I being a dick?" John asked.

"Is that a serious question?" she laughed.

"Maybe you should stop being so damn temperamental," he said.

"Temperamental my ass, you were being a dick," she pointed.

"Stop fucking calling me a dick," he said.

"Fine, you're an asshole, is that better?" she stood up.

"Alright guys, that's enough," Hunter said.

"Stay out of it Hunter," Cory said. She glared at John, "And you go to hell."

"What is your _problem_?" John asked. "When did you get so sensitive?"

Cory put her hands down on the table, "Having surgery and months of physical therapy is not exactly a vacation John so _fuck_ you."

With that, Cory walked away and John stared after her. When she was out of sight, he looked over at Hunter.

Hunter shook his head, "You asked for it."

-----------------------------

"You okay kid?" Mark caught Cory's arm before she could walk past him.

"I'm fine, just ready to go back to the hotel," she said.

"Wait a few minutes, I'll take you," he said.

"No I'm good, I don't wanna leave the rental here," Cory said. "Just keep an eye on Dawn, I think she was throwing up earlier. She doesn't need any more booze."

Mark frowned, confused, "She hasn't had any."

Now Cory looked lost, "She told me she had one too many."

Mark slowly shook his head, "The bartender said all she had tonight was Diet Coke and water."

"Then why was she sick?"


	23. Chapter 23

**So I mentioned that there was drama afoot...In this chapter I'm introducing a new character and she's..well...you'll see...Another quick note: Stone Cold is the General Manager at this point in the story. As you know, it helps me immensely to know what you think so as always...Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 23**

_Monday…_

"Oh this is just fucking fantastic," Cory crossed her arms, sitting down on the couch in the women's locker room.

"Why is she pouting?" Dawn asked, looking over at Jessica.

"Vince is picking up Randy and John's feud again," Jessica explained.

"And you get to work with John again?" Dawn smirked.

"_Have to_," Cory corrected. "_Get to_ implies that I'm looking forward to it."

"You two have really got to get over yourselves," Jessica said. "All that attitude and profanity you throw at each other is just a cover for how much you really like each other."

"You people have been pushing that psycho-babble practically since the day we met and I _still_ cant stand his ass," Cory said. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you're wrong?"

"Not me," Dawn shook her head. "Jessie, how 'bout you?"

"Nope, not once," Jessica shook her head.

"Oh whatever, since when are you an expert?" Cory asked. "How long have you been unhappy with Jared?"

"_James_, Cory," Jessica glared at her sister. "His name is James and you know it."

"Whatever," she shrugged. "The point is you don't even know why you're with him anymore."

"Yes I do," Jessica said with conviction, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm gonna spare you the embarrassment of asking you why," Cory said. "Because I'm just that nice."

"And so modest," Jessica laughed. "You know, you almost sounded like your mother just now."

"Oh now you're just trying to hurt my feelings," Cory pointed.

Dawn shook her head, standing up. She stumbled for a second and then put her hand on the wall to brace herself.

"D, what's wrong?" Cory asked.

Dawn waved her off, "I just got up too fast."

Cory didn't believe her but knew that was the straightest answer she was going to get. Dawn left the room and Cory looked over at Jessica, "What's going on with her?"

Jessica shrugged, "You would know better than me."

-----------------------------

Dawn put a hand over her stomach as she walked out of the locker room. She'd been nauseous all day and it didn't seem to be getting any better.

"Dawn?"

She closed her eyes when she heard Mark's voice. This really wasn't a good time.

"Dawn, I need to talk to you," he said.

She took a deep breath and turned around, "About what?"

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"What would be wrong?" she asked, running a hand through her hair.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "But Cory and I..we were worried. Last night.."

"Last night I was drunk," Dawn said. "It's not that complicated."

"But you were-"

"Mark, I appreciate the concern, really," she put a hand on his arm. "But I'm fine...if there was something wrong, I'd tell you and Cory, you know that."

"I know I just-"

"Mark," she looked into his green eyes. "Please..just let it go."

-----------------------------

Chris walked into the catering area, stopping when he saw Taylor. She was sitting alone at a table, very carefully wrapping a small box in pink paper. Her blue eyes were focused, hands moving quickly.

"Why Taylor, you shouldn't have," he smiled, walking over. "I haven't done anything to deserve a gift."

She looked up at him, amused, "It's for Viveca."

"How's her dad?" he asked, sitting across from her.

"No change," she sighed.

"How's she?" he asked.

"She's acting like everything is fine," Taylor said, smoothing the last piece of tape in place. "I'm worried. And she wont tell Jeff what's going on."

"Why not?"

Taylor rested her chin in her hand, "Because there's a lot that she just doesn't want to explain I guess."

"But Jeff should know what's going on," Chris said. "They care about each other a lot. She should be able to tell him."

"Sometimes you cant share everything no matter how much you care," Taylor said, looking down at the present.

Chris wanted to ask what _she_ wasn't sharing but there was no point. She wasn't about to tell him anything. She was so damn hard to figure out. He knew that she had feelings for him and he made no secret of how he felt about her. Sometimes he thought he was getting somewhere, she would say something or just look at him in a way that gave him hope for them but then there were times where she would draw into herself and he had no idea what she was thinking or feeling. Sometimes he could draw her out of that and sometimes he couldn't. Still, the bad times were worth knowing that she was safe and sound and not living in some shithole apartment and working for some sleazeball bar owner.

"So where is she now?" he asked.

"I believe she's talking to Adam and Jason," Taylor said.

"So we don't have to worry about any interruptions," he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, shaking her head, "You're crazy."

"Only sometimes," he moved to sit next to her. "So, you really didn't get me anything?"

She looked over at him, "I'm afraid not. Can you find some way to forgive me?"

"I can on one condition," he smirked.

"And what's that?"

"I'm gonna need a kiss," he said. He tapped his cheek, "Right there, or we're not friends anymore."

She laughed, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Hoping he didn't get slapped for it, Chris turned, meeting her lips with his own. She jumped, surprised, "Chris!"

"Taylor if you wanted a kiss all you had to do was say so," he smirked.

She laughed, slapping his arm, her cheeks turning red.

Putting a smile on her face was great but kissing her again was his ultimate goal. She looked up at him shyly, almost invitingly and Chris leaned down for a second attempt.

"Taylor darling I-"

Chris couldn't think of a time he'd ever disliked Viveca as much as he did at that moment.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Viveca smirked as they both turned to face her. "You can go back to whatever you were doing. I promise I wont watch...much."

"We weren't doing anything," Taylor shrugged, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"_Right_," Viveca nodded. "Would either of you happen to know where Jeff is?"

"Nope," Taylor shook her head.

Viveca looked at Chris and he shook his head.

"I'll just call him," Viveca shrugged. "Taylor can you do me a favor? I left my shoes in the car, could you get them?"

"Sure, no problem," Taylor nodded. "I'll get them now."

Taylor walked out of the room quickly, even forgetting Viveca's present on the table.

Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Viveca patted him on the shoulder, "Sorry."

-----------------------------

John looked up from the magazine he was flipping through when the door to the locker room opened. Cory walked in without a moment's hesitation. Fortunately the only people in the room were Mark, Hunter, John, and Randy and everyone's lower half was covered. Some of the guys got a little touchy about women just breezing into the locker room.

Mark seemed to be thinking the same thing as he shook his head, "You cant just walk in without knocking Kid."

"Oh please, it's not like I've never seen a penis before," Cory shrugged.

"Do you have to say things like that?" he frowned.

"What? I said penis, I kept it PG," she laughed. "Randy, Ric wants to talk to you."

"Okay," Randy got up. They were getting ready to leave the room and Hunter gave John a look. John rolled his eyes, knowing he needed to say something to Cory. They hadn't spoken since Saturday except for a few words in that morning's meeting and it was about time they stopped being immature.

He got up, "Cory can I talk to you for a minute?"

She rolled her eyes, "No."

Before he could say anything else, she walked out. Randy shrugged and gave John an apologetic look before following her.

"I'm done," John put his hands up. "I give up."

"I'm done, I give up" Mark mocked him. "You tried to talk to her one time ya big drama queen."

"Why should I try more than once?" John asked. "She's just gonna act the same way."

"She'll get over it in a couple days," Hunter said.

John shrugged, "I don't really care. I give up."

-----------------------------

_1 Hour Later_

Cory was looking through her bag trying to figure out exactly what to wear when she heard her phone ringing loudly. She fished through the bag until she found the blinking phone and flipped it open without looking to see who it was, "Hello?"

"Hello dear."

Cory almost dropped the phone when she heard her mother's voice. She recovered after a few seconds, holding it to her ear with her shoulder as she continued looking through her bag, "Hello mother. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful sweetheart, I just talked to Regina," Adelle said.

"Oh yeah?"

Cory didn't pay much attention as her mother detailed her conversation with her older sister. She picked out her outfit, shoes, and jewelry and decided what to do with her hair and makeup before Adelle seemed to notice that she wasn't listening.

"Corinne?"

"Huh?"

"I said you should be seeing them on Wednesday."

"Seeing who on Wednesday?" Cory asked, looking in the mirror and making a mental note to pluck a stray eyebrow hair when she got off the phone.

"Regina and Joseph," Adelle said, sounding annoyed.

"_What_?!" Cory exclaimed, feeling her blood pressure rise. "Why?"

"Were you listening to me at all?" Adelle sighed.

"_No_," she admitted. "_Why_?"

"Because you haven't seen your sister in months and she's concerned," Adelle said. "I told her you'd be in California on Wednesday and it just so happens that she and Joseph will be there as well."

"Concerned about what?" Cory asked, sitting down on the couch.

"Your lifestyle dear, what else?" Adelle said. "Listen I've got to go, I'll talk to you later. I love you. Bye."

Cory's eyes narrowed as her mother hung up. It was just like Adelle to blurt out bad news and then suddenly have to get off the phone. Cory ran her hands through her hair, resting her elbows on her knees, praying that there would be a sudden change of venue and they'd be going to New York or back to Florida or anywhere else but California on Wednesday. In truth, she loved her sister dearly but there were times that she would rather be locked in a room with rabid animals than have to spend too much time with her. They were polar opposites and didn't even bother trying to understand each other anymore. Regina was a very well known, in demand interior designer and event planner known professionally as Regina Rose, her first and middle name. She also owned a high end home furnishings store by the same name in the building where her offices were located in New York. Cory remembered her saying a while ago that she was going to open another store/office in LA, which explained the trip to California. Regina was a certified control freak who had always made sure to let Cory know when she thought she was making bad decisions from the way she did her hair to the people she chose to surround herself with to her career choice. Joseph Morris was Regina's fiancé and, surprisingly enough, Cory adored him. Though it would be nice to see him, she wasn't sure if it was worth having to deal with Gina telling her what to do every second of every hour that they were together. Cory felt the beginnings of a headache at the base of her skull and she got up to go find a bottle of water. On her way out the door she ran into Hunter.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

Cory shook her head, "I wish."

-----------------------------

The timer went off in the bathroom and Savannah got up, walking in slowly. She took a deep breath, her eyes resting on the test sitting on the counter. This had to work. It had to be positive. She didn't know what she would do if it wasn't. All this work, all of her hard work would be for nothing. She sat down, closed her eyes and picked it up. She silently counted from 5 to 1 then opened her eyes. The negative sign jumped out at her as if it were made of neon lights. Her eyes stung but she didn't feel tears. She didn't have any left. She worked so hard. Why couldn't things just go the way she wanted? Why hadn't he listened to her before? She looked down at her hands, seeing that she had a white knuckled grasp on the test. She took deep breaths to keep herself calm. The last time she let her anger get the best of her, she'd destroyed almost everything in the apartment. She had to keep calm. She had to think clearly. She stood up, looking at herself in the mirror. She picked up a large towel and balled it up, shoving it under her shirt. She turned to the side, smoothing the shirt over the towel, a giggle escaping her.

She smiled to herself in the mirror, "When one door closes..."

-----------------------------

**RAW**

After the RAW opening theme began, an image filled the titan tron of a limo pulling into the garage of the arena.

"Who's that?" King asked excitedly. The door to the limo opened and a pair of long tanned legs swung out. Black stiletto heeled shoes clicked on the cement flooring. But the camera never panned up.

-----------------------------

Adam leaned against the wall, watching as Viveca talked to Jason. He was supposed to be involved in the conversation as well but thus far he'd just sat back and watched. They were discussing some recent storyline changes. La Resistance was beginning to get over as a babyface team with the fans but Vince was concerned that they couldn't make the transition with Viveca as their manager. Viveca understand and was happy about the change because she'd never been very comfortable working as a face. Though she seemed focused on the conversation, Adam could tell there was something wrong. When she laughed at Jason it sounded forced. When she smiled it seemed strained. They hadn't talked very much lately and it bothered Adam to know that something was upsetting her and she wasn't sharing it with him. Jeff probably knew all about it. Jeff her perfect little boyfriend. Another friend he hadn't talked to quite as much lately. He felt like an asshole for distancing himself from his good friend but he couldn't help it. He was jealous and that wasn't going to change.

"I should go touch up my makeup," Viveca stood up, smoothing her pink dress. "I'll see you guys in a little while."

She started to walk out and as she reached the door, Adam gently took her hand, "Hey...are you okay?"

Viveca smiled that strained smile and nodded, "Yeah..I'm fine."

-----------------------------

"Why didn't you tell me about Damien?" Regina asked, sounding annoyed.

"Umm..what?" Cory played dumb, reapplying her lip gloss in the mirror, the phone between her ear and shoulder once again. Regina called to make plans for them to see each other in California and now she was giving her crap about breaking up with Damien. Cory decided then and there that now Regina wouldn't be the last to know things...Adelle would. She had an even bigger mouth.

"Damien, why did I have to hear it from Mom?" Regina asked.

"It..slipped my mind?" Cory shrugged.

"You two were _perfect_ for each other," Regina said.

"Evidently not, seeing how we're not together and all," Cory said.

"I just don't understand," Regina sighed. "He was smart, well off, ambitious, _ridiculously_ good looking-"

"Pompous, self absorbed, not supportive," Cory continued. "Yeah, he's a dreamboat that Damien is."

"That's my baby sister," Regina said. "Using sarcasm to hide the pain."

"Pain?" Cory repeated. "Regina it was like 8 months ago. I'm over it."

She turned to see Jessica looking at her, trying to hold her laughter. Cory stuck her tongue out.

"How could you be over it?" her sister asked. "You lost a _great_ catch."

"There are other men in the world Gina," Cory said.

"I suppose that's true," Regina sighed. "You know...I do know of someone who would be _perf-_"

"I already have a boyfriend," Cory blurted.

Jessica's eyes went wide and Cory shrugged, regretting her lie. She couldn't help it though, the only thing worse than a visit from Regina was a visit combined with a blind date.

"You do? Well why didn't you say something?"

"I uh...it slipped my mind?" Cory winced. "Oh would you look at that, Jessie's here...Didn't you say you wanted to speak to Jessie?"

Jessica frantically waved her arms mouthing 'NO' but Cory thrust the phone at her. Her older sisters did their best to get along and they genuinely cared for each other but they could definitely but heads. Sometimes it seemed as though they were in competition to see who was the better big sister.

Jessica glared at Cory as she took the phone, "Hello Regina...Yes I know it's a shame about Cory and Damien..."

-----------------------------

"What is this about King?" JR asked as the show came back from commercial and La Resistance stood in the ring.

"Apparently they were told to come to the ring JR," King answered.

"For what?"

"I don't know but I bet we're about to find out," King said excitedly as Viveca LeVeaux walked out onto the stage. The dark haired diva ignored the boos of the crowd as she walked up the ringsteps. Normally, one of the members of her team would hold the ropes open for her but this time they stayed back, looking confused. A clip on played on the titan tron of the events from Smackdown. During a match against Edge and Christian, Viveca got up on the ring apron, offering a pair of brass knuckles, one of her favorite weapons, to Sylvan Grenier. Just as he was about to take it, she pulled it away, jumping down off of the apron and tossing the knuckles away. The distraction allowed Christian to roll him up and win the match. La Resistance stood in the ring looking confused while an amused Viveca backed up the ramp, smiling from ear to ear.

Viveca took the mic from Lillian Garcia and waited for the crowd noise to die down, "I'm sure some of you are wondering why I did what I did last week...And I'm here to explain myself to you Rene..to you Sylvan..and to _all_ of these people."

Her former associates eagerly waited her explanation.

"As you all know, I have been the manager of La Resistance since their debut in the WWE."

"We're well aware," JR said.

"I have struggled with them. I have helped them win match after match. In fact, were it not for me, they wouldn't have won _half_ of the matches that they did."

"You gotta admit, that's true," King said.

"It is true," JR agreed. "That woman cheated every chance she got."

"I have done _everything_ for you two and what do I have to show for it now?" Viveca asked, turning to them. "_Absolutely nothing_. You cant win a match to save your lives anymore!"

Both men were obviously growing angry as she continued.

"You're pathetic, you really are," Viveca smirked. "You're not worth my time anymore. So after weighing my options and receiving a few offers...I've decided to devote my time to a team that has touched the gold and managed to hold on to it, unlike you two disappointments...I'm going to stand with a _successful_ team."

Viveca pointed to the ramp but nothing happened.

"Uh oh," JR said as La Resistance began stalking toward their former manager. She backed away, looking frightened, the microphone falling from her hand.

The men were about to attack her when Edge and Christian jumped over the security barricade and slid into the ring, attacking them from behind. Viveca jumped out of the way, watching gleefully as her new team pummeled her former colleagues.

"Oh what the hell," JR said with disgust.

"Well now we know why she helped them win last week," King said.

Viveca got out of the ring and retrieved two chairs, sliding them into the ring one at a time.

"Oh not this," JR said as Edge and Christian delivered a conchairto to Rene Dupree. Viveca jumped up and down, clapping her hands. Then, they executed the move on Sylvan Grenier who fell into a heap beside his partner.

Obviously satisfied, Viveca walked to the center of the ring and Edge and Christian each grabbed one of her hands, raising them in the air.

"There those legs go again," JR said as the titan tron filled with the image of the mystery woman from the limo, now walking down a hall in the arena. The camera finally began to pan up. A very short white skirt. A tight black lace shirt. Then up a little more.

"It's Cory Flair!" King exclaimed as the newly dark haired beauty walked down the hall.

"Haven't seen her on Raw in a while," JR said. "6 months to be exact."

"But we get to see her on Confidential every week," King said.

"I'm sure you watch it religiously, don't ya King?" JR asked.

"I do," King laughed.

Cory was going around the corner and bumped into none other than John Cena.

"Uh oh," JR said. "These two aren't exactly best friends."

"Hey," John looked a little surprised. "When did you get back?"

"Tonight," she smiled. "Would you happen to know where I can find Evolution?"

"Oh yeah," John nodded. "Your boys are around the corner."

"Thanks," she smiled, walking away.

John stared behind her as she walked away. He shook his head, "_Damn_."

"Damn is right," JR said.

-----------------------------

"Your sister cant really be _that_ bad," Hunter laughed.

"Cory's sister, not mine," Jessica corrected. "And trust me, she's that bad."

Hunter shook his head.

"She and James would probably get along," Jessica smirked, running a brush through her hair.

"Wow, she must be bad," Hunter smirked.

"You need to stop taking shots at my boyfriend," she pointed at him with her brush.

"You need to stop making it so easy," Hunter said. "You know, I think deep down you like it."

She rolled her eyes, taking a step back and looking herself up and down in the mirror. She turned to Hunter, hands on her hips, "What do you think?"

In recent weeks, Jessica's angle involved her turning on the Dudley Boyz and becoming the unlikely arm candy of Ric Flair. This change meant less camoflouge Dudley Gear and more very short dresses and heels. This dress was short, black, and very tight. She was wearing a thin silver belt around her waist and silver heels. Her red and black waves had been straightened and fell quite a few inches past her shoulders. It was quite a change from what she usually wore on TV and Hunter couldnt' say he was opposed.

"You look amazing," he smiled.

"Not bad for the bossy, demanding bitch, huh?" she smirked.

Hunter laughed, "I never called you a bitch."

"You might as well have."

"Jess, I said you were bossy and demanding," Hunter said. "You expect a lot out of the people around you and you help everyone live up to their potential. I meant it in a good way."

She smiled and he could see that she was touched by the compliment. He got up to leave, stopping in the doorway and turning to face her, "How many times do you hear that from your boyfriend?"

-----------------------------

"She wont tell me what's going on," Mark paced back and forth in the locker room.

"Maybe it's really nothing," Glen suggested. "Maybe she's okay."

"She's not okay," Mark argued. "I know her. I know when she's okay."

"Well then she just doesn't want you to know what's wrong," Glen said. "There's nothing we can do. If she's not gonna tell you and Cory, she's not gonna tell anybody."

Mark stopped walking, looking over at his friend, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're her friend," Mark said. "She trusts you."

"No," Glen shook his head. "This is between you and Dawn. It's not my job to go digging around for you."

"Not even when there could be something wrong?" Mark asked, trying to guilt his friend.

"Not even then," Glen sighed. "You need to talk to each other. Not me."

-----------------------------

**RAW**

Stone Cold's Office…

"Your eyes recovered yet King?" JR asked as the camera panned out to show Corinne Flair sitting in Stone Cold's office.

"Oh yeah," King said. "I'm _much_ better now."

Corinne and Stone Cold were laughing about something.

"You know, I used to think you had a monster of a stick up your ass," Stone Cold laughed, handing her a beer.

"I did," Corinne laughed. "I had it removed."

Portia Kelly stormed into the office, "Stone Cold I…"

Her gaze drifted to Corinne, who smiled sweetly and waved at her and raising her beer can.

"How convenient," Portia smiled. "I was just gonna ask our general manager here where you were."

"Well here I am," Corinne stood up, putting her drink down. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You can keep this in mind," Portia stepped closer to Corinne. "When you left…I took on the role of the female force in Evolution. Don't think you can just come back from your little injury and get your spot back. You've been replaced."

"Portia," Corinne smiled, amused. "As long as my father, and my fiancé make up part of Evolution, I cant be replaced. Especially not by a little _bitch_ like you…So I'm gonna make a friendly suggestion…Get out of my face, or keeping your 'spot' in Evolution will be the _last_ thing you need to worry about."

Stone Cold looked back and forth between the Divas, sipping his beer. He stood behind Corinne, laughing, "Ya know Portia if I were you..I'd get out of her face."

-----------------------------

Cory walked out of the office after chatting with Portia and Steve for a few minutes. Steve was baffled by the fact that Cory and Portia were actually friends. It confused most people. It confused Cory sometimes too. They weren't best friends for life or anything but they were definitely shopping buddies at the very least. It started the day Portia apologized to her for the incident at Summerslam.

Cory was walking down the hall and stopped when she saw John walking in her direction.

_Speaking of confusing.._

She rolled her eyes, turning to walk the other way.

"Don't bother, I'm not gonna try to talk to you," he said.

She turned, making a face, "I don't care what you do."

"Good," John shrugged. "I don't care what you do either."

"That's great, then this discussion is over," she said, walking past him.

She heard him mumble something and she told herself to just ignore it. She should be the better person and just walk away. She tried, she really did, but her temper won out and she turned around, "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything," he said. "You're gettin' paranoid."

She rolled her eyes and this time she was the one to mumble, "Asshole."

"What did you say?" he asked, looking annoyed.

"Oh nothing," Cory shrugged. "I guess we're both gettin' paranoid."

-----------------------------

"So when are you gonna do it?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know," Jeff shook his head. "I'm nervous. What if she says no?"

"Jeff, she loves you," Dawn insisted. "She wont say no. Besides, like I said before, it's a diamond. That girl would _never_ say no to a diamond."

"I just...I want it to be perfect," Jeff said. He laughed, "If it's not, she'll probably make me do it again."

"I'm sure you'll come up with something," Dawn patted him on the shoulder. The way he was looking at the ring box in his hand was so sweet she almost started to cry. She wasn't normally so emotional but she was just happy for her friends. They'd found the person they wanted to be with for the rest of their lives.

"You okay?" Jeff asked, gently patting her shoulder.

"I'm good," she quickly dabbed at her eyes with the sleeves of her shirt. "Just tired."

"Honey, I-"

Viveca started opening the door to the locker room and Jeff looked panicked. Realizing that she had to do something, Dawn grabbed the ring box out of his hand and slipped it into her back pocket, putting her hand over it.

"I've been looking all over for you," Viveca smiled, walking in and kissing him quickly. She smiled, "Hey Dawn, what's up?"

"Oh, not too much," Dawn shrugged. "I'm uh..I'm gonna go get something to drink. You guys want anything?"

Jeff mouthed 'Thank You' knowing that Viveca couldn't see it.

"I just got some water, I'm good thanks," Viveca said.

Dawn made her way toward the door without having her back to her friends, "No problem. I'll be back later."

And with that, she slipped out of the room.

-----------------------------

**RAW**

Randy Orton, Ric Flair, Batista, Jessica Dudley, and Portia Kelly were sitting in the Evolution Locker Room watching the monitor when the door opened. Ric stood up excitedly, holding out his arms as his daughter entered the room.

"Why didn't you and Randy tell me you were coming?" Ric asked.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," she smiled as he hugged her. Once he let her go, she turned and Randy wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a kiss.

"Portia Kelly doesn't look too pleased with this," JR said.

"Randy and Cory are engaged, she's gotta be used to seeing this," King pointed out.

Randy and Cory pulled apart and she laughed, turning to face the rest of the room. She waved at Jessica and then Batista, who was glaring at her.

"What's the matter, are we not friends anymore?" she smirked at Batista.

What was up with you talking to Stone Cold and Cena?" he asked.

She shrugged, looking confused.

"Just let it go," Randy advised.

"You are a member of Evolution," Batista ignored his friend, pointing in Cory's face. "We don't associate ourselves with people like them."

"Listen _Dave_," she glared. "I will talk to whoever I want to. I don't represent you and you certainly don't represent me. So why don't you relax for a second, hm?"

"Just don't forget where your loyalty lies," Batista said, walking out of the room.

Cory looked up at Randy, "What the hell is his problem?"

-----------------------------


	24. Chapter 24

**Here's the next chapter peeps, hope you enjoy it. I just got home from a concert and I'm exhausted but I finished this up before I left and thought I'd post it before I hit the sheets. Thank you all for your reviews, they're inspiring, please keep them coming. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review! I'll try my best to get another chapter up ASAP once I get some sleep...Lots of sleep..like a shitload...Alright I'm done, Nighty Night.**

**Chapter 24...**

_John made sure his tie was perfectly in place and smiled at himself in the mirror. His wife had laid out just the right suit and tie for him. It was dark gray with a perfectly pressed white shirt and the tie was...actually everything in his world was black, white, or gray and that was just how he liked it. He picked up his briefcase and walked out through the living room and into the kitchen. _

_"Good morning Cena family," John walked into the kitchen. He walked over to his wife, kissing her cheek. She looked beautiful with her dark hair curled neatly and her knee length dress perfectly pressed._

_"Good morning honey," Cory smiled, handing him a cup of coffee._

_"Where are the boys?" John looked around. "Shouldn't they be eating breakfast?"_

_"They did dear. Then they took Buddy for an early morning walk before school," she smiled. "They should be back any minute now."_

_John smiled when he heard their golden retriever barking. The door opened and in walked their three sons._

_"Welcome home boys," Cory smiled cheerfully._

_"Bobby, Jimmy, little Johnny," John smiled._

_"Dad!" they all rushed over to hug him._

_He laughed, hugging them all as Cory watched on, smiling._

_"Alright kids you're gonna make Dad drop his coffee," John laughed._

_They all laughed, moving away._

_"You boys are gonna behave yourselves at school today, aren't you?" John asked._

_"Of course we will dad," Little Johnny, the eldest, smiled. "I've got a test in math today. I think I'm gonna ace it."_

_"Just do your best kiddo," John patted the top of his head. "That's all we ask."_

_"Oh goodness, look at the time," Cory put a hand to her cheek. "Boys you better start walking."_

_The boys ran to get their books and Cory got three lunchboxes out of the refrigerator. When the children came back she opened the door and handed them each a lunchbox as they rushed out the door._

_"See you after school boys!" she waved after them. They waved back before rushing down the driveway to the sidewalk. Buddy came up to John, sitting at his feet, panting._

_John laughed a little, "Come on boy, I'll let you into the backyard."_

_John turned, walking over to the back door and opening it, laughing as Buddy raced out onto the grass. John frowned when he saw a chip in the paint on their white picket fence._

_"Honey, I think our fence needs a little touch up paint," he said. "I'll pick some up on the way back from the office."_

_He turned around and was shocked to see that all of a sudden his kitchen was in color. Even more shocking was his wife. Her dark hair was a mess of waves, flowing past her shoulders. Her blue eyes were shrouded with smoky makeup, her lips dark red. The corner of her mouth lifted and she unbuttoned the front of her dress, letting it slide over her shoulders and fall down on to the floor, leaving her in a black lace bra and panties and red stiletto heels._

_"I think you should take the day off," she smiled, stepping closer to him. "I can think of a few things that need to be done around the house."_

_John stared at her, "What has gotten into you?"_

_She didn't answer him, choosing instead to kiss his neck. John closed his eyes, enjoying what she was doing to him, then they both jumped when they heard something hit the floor._

_He looked down, laughing when he saw he'd dropped his briefcase._

_She smiled a devilish smile and said, "Why Mr. Cena, I do believe you have lipstick on your collar."_

_He felt a smile spread across his own face as she grabbed his tie and started backing up toward the bedroom, "I think we need to get you out of this shirt right away."_

_He nodded, "I think you're right."_

John sat up straight, looking around his darkened hotel room.

"What the hell?" he rubbed his head, eyes still droopy. Damn weird ass dream was just getting to the good part and he had to wake up. Even his subconscious seemed to take pleasure in screwing up his sex life. He looked down at the covers and frowned when he noticed a slight tent in the sheets. He lifted them up looking down, frowning when he saw the effect the dream was beginning to have on him.

"God damn woman."

-----------------------------------

Cory walked down the hall toward the elevator, covering her mouth as she yawned. It was probably somewhere around 3 in the morning and she was exhausted. When she and Dawn got back from the arena, they'd ordered a bunch of room service and watched a couple movies. Cory left when her friend fell asleep. She pressed the button for the elevator and waited, looking over her shoulder when she heard footsteps coming around the corner.

"Hey Cory," Randy Orton smiled, rushing over as the elevator reached the floor and the doors came open.

"Hey," she smiled stepping on and pressing the 'open door' button until he was safely inside. "You're out late."

"I was walking Portia back to her room," he explained.

Cory smirked, "And where were the two of you? In _your_ room?"

"We went to eat," he laughed. "Get your mind outta the gutter."

"You were out eating this late?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.

She nodded, smiling.

-----------------------------------

They reached their floor and Randy gestured for Cory to exit the elevator first. They began walking side by side and he looked over at her, noticing the amused expression on her face, "What?"

"What?" she looked up at him.

"You have this look..." he pointed.

"What look?" she laughed. "I will have you know, Mr. Orton, this is my neutral expression."

"No it's not," he shook his head. In the time he'd known her, he looked at her enough to know her neutral expression did have a touch of amusement but not _this_ much.

"Okay you caught me," she shrugged. "I was just thinking about something."

"Something like what?" he asked.

"How cute it is that you like Portia," she smiled.

"I don't like Portia," he said quickly. "I mean..I _like_ her but I'm not _interested_ in her."

"Mmhmm," she laughed.

"I don't," he laughed, feeling very awkward talking to her about this.

"Yes you do," she said. "It's written all over your pouty little face. Should I be hurt that you're already over me?"

Taking no for an answer was never exactly Randy's forte but he'd come to realize that for whatever reasons, Cory wasn't interested and it just wasn't going to happen. And he was too good looking to be hung up on someone that didn't want him. They were obviously better suited as friends. Besides, a blind person could see that there was something between her and John despite all their denials.

"I realized that someone else commands your attention," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, "I take it you're referring to John."

"Who else?"

"He does not _command_ my attention," she insisted.

"He doesn't?"

"No!" she laughed.

"Cory whether you're mad at him or not, he seems to be the only guy you _ever _talk about," he pointed out. "Haven't you noticed that?"

"I talk about him because I-"

"Because you have feelings for him."

Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest, "We are not talking about me and John, we're talking about _you_ and _Portia_. Changing the subject is a sign that you like Portia and you don't want to admit it."

He smirked, "I'm not the only one who changed the subject."

-----------------------------------

Jeff looked over at Viveca as she slept. He was having trouble sleeping but it was good to see her getting through a night. Every night she'd been back after her sudden trip, she spent more time tossing, turning, and fluffing her pillow than anything. He wished she could tell him what was going on. Why her moods seemed so up and down, why he would catch her wiping her eyes or sniffing all the time. It worried him. He wanted to be the person she trusted with everything. He wanted to be able to fix all of her problems but he couldn't even try if she wouldn't share them with him. She nuzzled her pillow a little and a lock of her hair fell into her face. He brushed it away, studying her features. Her long dark lashes cast shadows over her cheeks. Her thin nose had the tiniest bump in it that she told him she got after falling when her brother was chasing her when she was little. She told him many times how much she hated the bump and wanted to have it fixed but he thought it was cute. Her lips were fixed in a pout, as they always were whenever she slept. He told her once that she pouted in her sleep but she insisted that she didn't because, in her words, that would be stupid. It was another thing that he thought was cute. He loved everything about her. And anything that she told him she was insecure or embarrassed about, he seemed to love even more. He touched her cheek and she nuzzled his hand, her pout turning into a faint smile. It was so strange that his stupid crush on her had turned into what he was feeling now. He truly loved this woman with all his heart. He just hoped she felt as strongly as he did.

-----------------------------------

_Thursday Morning..._

Dawn rested her head against the bathroom door, closing her eyes as another wave of nausea passed over her. If she needed any more confirmation that her suspicions were true, the waking up at 7 A.M. and retching up all her room service was it. What the hell was she going to do? She thought about picking up the phone and calling Cory to tell her but she knew that Cory would be asleep. Besides, it would just worry her. Not that she wasn't worrying already. And Mark...Mark was worrying. He kept asking her what was wrong and part of her wanted to tell him. But she couldn't. Not until she was 100 sure. Even then she wasn't sure if she would tell him. She didn't have time to think about it any further, the nausea was coming back, full force and it was time to grab onto something with one hand and hold her hair back with the other.

-----------------------------------

Cory heard the loud, incessant beeping of her alarm and mumbled something even she couldn't understand before slapping her hand down on the nightstand and feeling around for her cell phone. Her pinky finger brushed against it and she tried to put her hand over it but managed to knock it onto the floor.

"Shit," she mumbled, pushing herself up and blinking in attempt to correct her blurred vision as she looked around on the floor. The stupid beeping was making her head hurt and she was about to yell at it when she finally spotted the phone and let herself fall back onto the bed, her arm falling over the side. She did a quick finger walk on the floor until she reached the phone and flipped it open to stop that damn invasive noise. She rolled onto her back, squinting to see what time it was.

_8:00 A.M._

She desperately wanted to go back to sleep but she knew she needed to start getting up. She'd been informed that with her going back on the road plus still filming Confidential _and_ quite a few media appearances scheduled leading up to Wrestlemania, she needed to hire a personal assistant and for some reason this was the day she was going to do interviews. She was tempted to call them and reschedule but she didn't. She would just sleep for 10..maybe 15 more minutes then get up and get in the shower. She put the phone under the pillow and closed her eyes letting the sound of the ceiling fan above her lull her back to sleep. Just as she felt herself drifting there was more noise, this time in the form of someone knocking on the door, nearly making her jump out of her skin. She got up slowly ready to say some seriously offensive things to whoever was at her door this early. Without a second thought, she grabbed the doorknob and yanked the door open, her eyes immediately shutting because of the bright lights in the hallway.

"Cory?"

She winced when she recognized the voice, "Regina."

-----------------------------------

Regina shook her head when she saw her sister. She was standing at the door in a black bra, a pair of hot pink ruffled panties and one white sock pulled up to her knee. Half of her tinted black hair was curled and the other half was matted to the side of her head. She had dark makeup around her eyes and was wearing chipping black nail polish.

Regina reached up, putting a hand over her boyfriend's eyes.

Cory sighed, scratching the top of her head, her eyes still closed, "I thought I wasn't gonna see you until tonight. You know..like we planned."

"Corinne, honey, you're half naked in a hotel hallway," Regina informed her obviously half asleep sibling.

She opened her eyes and looked down at herself, "Well would ya look at that, I am."

She waved sleepily at Joseph, "Hey Joe."

"Cory," Joseph waved. "I'd hug you but I don't think she'd allow it."

"Gina, why are you covering his eyes?" Cory turned, walking back into her room.

"Because my baby sister is flashing the goods to anyone who'll look," Regina gave her sister a stern look as she and Joseph entered the room, Joseph closing the door behind them. When Cory turned around Regina spotted tattoos, "Oh God, how many tattoos do you have?"

"Five." She picked up a large t-shirt that was strewn over the back of the couch and put it on then turned around, "Better?"

"For now," Regina took her hand down.

"Hey kid!" Joseph smiled, holding his arms open.

"Good to see you Joe," Cory hugged him, laughing when he lifted her off the ground.

Regina smiled. Joseph was the first man she'd ever been with that her baby sister actually liked. Actually, she was the first one Cory was even remotely nice to. It was sweet.

When he put her down, Regina smiled, opening her arms and hugging her sister, "Oh honey it's so good to see you."

"You too Gina," Cory said, hugging her back.

After a few seconds Regina pulled away, and brushed her finger under her sister's eye, rubbing off some of the makeup, "What is this?"

"I forgot to take my makeup off after the show," she answered.

"And this?" Regina picked up her hand, showing her her own nails.

"Chipped nail polish?" Cory sighed.

"Exactly," Regina said. "I hope you have some remover somewhere."

"I think I do," Cory rubbed her head.

"You okay kiddo?" Joseph asked.

Cory nodded, "Yeah..I just feel a headache coming on."

"I've got some ibuprofen in my purse," Regina said. "Now why don't you get dressed and then we'll call Jessie and go to breakfast."

"You wanna call Jessie this early in the morning?" Cory asked. "Seriously?"

"I'm sure she wont mind, you all get up early all the time, don't you?" Regina asked, walking around the room and picking up a few items of clothing that Cory had left on the floor.

"I guess," Cory sighed. She picked up her phone and tossed it to her. "You can call her while I'm in the shower."

Regina nearly dropped the phone and looked up at her sister, "Sweetie..._manicure_."

"Sorry," Cory said, picking up her bag and walking into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. Regina looked over at Joe, "_See_?"

"See what?" Joseph asked.

"Look at her," Regina said. "I _told_ you she needs me."

-----------------------------------

Taylor quickly wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom when she heard her cell phone ringing. She picked it up quickly, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Good morning Chris," she said, strolling back into the bathroom and getting her brush. "What can I do for ya?"

"You can join me for lunch today," he suggested.

Lunch with Chris always sounded like a good idea but today it wasn't an option.

She winced, "I cant."

"And why not?" Chris acted offended.

She laughed, "Cory's interviewing assistants today and asked for my help."

"That sounds _way_ more fun than lunch with the coolest guy you know," he said.

She shook her head, "I promised Cory. I cant let her down."

"Alright, how about dinner?" he asked. "You wear a dress, I'll leave my leather pants at home."

"Chris Irvine, are you asking me on a date?" she joked.

"Actually...I kind of am," he said quickly. "So I'm gonna need you to say yes and save me from the embarrassment of rejection."

Taylor stopped brushing her hair, looking at herself in the mirror, "Y-you're serious?"

"Yeah I am," he admitted. "I know you don't wanna mess up our friendship but I really don't think it will. And what's the harm in one date, if you have a horrible time I'll never ask again."

Taylor's first reaction was to say no but she knew that was just the fear talking. And she was going to try to stop letting fear run her life.

"Okay," she sighed, still a little unsure. "You've got yourself a date."

-----------------------------------

"Why aren't you staying in Gram's house?"

Cory sighed, trying her hardest to be patient. Her sister had been talking to her through the bathroom door from the second she got out of the shower and it was driving her nuts.

"I left my keys at my apartment," Cory explained, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"Well I've got mine, I'll pack your things up and we'll get you checked out. There's no point in staying in a hotel when you've got an exquisite home to stay in while you're in town."

Cory sighed. There was no point in telling Regina that she liked hotels and didn't think it was necessary to stay in their grandmother's house. When the Regina Rose ball started rolling there was no stopping it.

"Okay," Cory sighed, looking at her hands. She'd taken off her nail polish and quickly filed her nails.

"This place could stand to sign a contract with me," Regina said. "They obviously need a decorator."

"You should go talk to the manager about that," Cory suggested.

"Oh please, I don't have time, I've got so many jobs to work on right now," Regina said. "Are you ready yet? I told Jessica to meet us in an hour."

Cory looked at herself in the mirror and, pleased with her appearance, opened the door, "Ready as I'll ever be."

Regina crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes, putting her manicured fingertip to her chin and Cory sighed, knowing what that look meant.

"Corinne, darling, we're having a very nice brunch, I don't think you're appropriately dressed," Regina said.

Cory looked down at her jeans and black sweater then back up at her sister, "What do you suggest I wear?"

"I'll find you a dress," Regina said. "And put on a little more makeup. Just a touch, you look like you haven't slept much."

"I _haven't_ slept much," Cory said, resisting the urge to pick up a shoe and throw it at her sibling.

"Why do we have to get all dressed up to eat?" Joe asked. "I've never understood that. I like a meal where you can dig in and get yourself dirty."

Cory laughed then covered her mouth when she saw the exasperated expression on her sister's face.

Joe winked at her and Cory returned the gesture. Cory wasn't quite sure how Joe and Regina managed to stay together but she was glad they did. He was one of the few things that made time with her sister tolerable. Joe wasn't Regina's type by any means. He was an independent contractor born in Dayton, Ohio. He was blue collar to the bone, loved sports, cars, and absolutely _hated_ wearing suits and ties. He was in very high demand for his creativity, work ethic, and easygoing personality but he liked to pick and choose his jobs. He didn't just take a job because the price was right which absolutely drove Regina up the wall. They met when she was hired to decorate a building that he was working on and from what Joe said, he was immediately attracted to her until he talked to her for a few minutes. They couldn't stand each other for the whole 6 months that they were working together but the day they finished up, Joe invited her out for lunch to try and patch things up, wanting to end their working relationship on a good note. To their surprise, while at lunch they clicked and were together ever since. They still butted heads from time to time, sometimes they had big fights over her controlling ways or his supposed lack of ambition or sometimes they fought about things like her repeated refusal to call him Joe instead of Joseph. It was obvious that they loved each other though and no matter how much they fought, they ended up together. When Regina first introduced him to the family, Cory was the one to welcome him. Their mother Adelle was unsure about him until Regina assured her that he was worth more money than his simple jeans and button down shirt would lead her to believe. Their older step-brothers EJ and Bradley didn't like him at all, which made Cory even more eager to welcome him into the family.

"We have to get dressed up to eat because we're going to a 5 star restaurant," Regina said. "A restaurant that _I_ helped design so we all have to look as good as possible."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Joe sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"Do you have any dresses that aren't cut to show off your crotch?" Regina asked, looking through one of Cory's suitcases.

"No," Cory smirked. "The short ones show off my ass better."

"Sweetheart there's nothing wrong with a short dress," Regina said. "Gram did bless us with fabulous legs but you have to have _some_ that don't show off everything."

"I do?" Cory made a confused face.

"This one will work," Regina said, pulling out a pale pink dress with short ruffled sleeves that stopped just above the knee. Cory had only packed it by accident. It was cute but she rarely wore it. "Go change."

"Okay," Cory sighed.

"And for God's sake if you're gonna leave your hair that dreadful color at least leave it down and curl it or something," Regina said. "No ponytails."

Cory forced a smile, gripping the hanger her dress was on, "No ponytails."

"Oh I almost forgot," Regina smiled brightly. "When do I get to meet this boyfriend?"

Cory felt her face get hot and prayed she wasn't blushing. She blushed when she lied and her sister knew that.

"I uh..he's um..you'll...you'll meet him at the house show tonight," Cory blurted.

Regina beamed, "Cant wait."

-----------------------------------

Savannah paced back and forth, trying to figure out where to start. She had to do this right. Everything had to be perfect. No room for error. The first part was going to be easy but the second...she wasn't exactly sure how she could pull it off. But she would figure out a way. She always figured out a way to get what she wanted. He told her once that he admired her tenacity. She hoped he still felt that way because he would soon find out just how far she would go.


	25. Chapter 25

**Okay, I've recovered from the concert (my head still hurts but not nearly as much) and the next chapter is here..There's a little more of Savannah in this one...isn't she..interesting? Any guesses on who 'He' is? As always, Read, Enjoy, and please Review! I'm gonna start working on the next chapter but it's gonna be a busy few days so I don't know exactly when I'll be able to finish it..Until then, Happy Reading peeps!**

**Chapter 25...**

Jessica looked down at her watch, growing more annoyed by the second. Regina woke her up early and told her to get dressed and be on time for breakfast or brunch or whatever. That was bad enough. But to make things worse, she couldn't even be on time. Jessica had been waiting for at least 20 minutes. She rested her chin in her hand, staring into her glass of water for another few minutes before she heard a loud laugh coming from near the door. That was Regina's laugh if she'd ever heard it. She turned in her chair and sure enough, there was Regina, talking and laughing with someone while Cory and Joe stood a few feet behind her looking bored. As much as Cory was the spitting image of their grandmother Jeanette, Regina was like a picture of Adelle in her 20's come to life. Regina's hair was naturally light brown, the same as Cory's but she'd dyed it the same pale blonde color as their mother. She had the same grayish green eyes shrouded with thick lashes and impeccably done makeup. When she was 17, she got into a car accident in which she suffered damage to her nose. She went in for corrective surgery the same day Adelle was being admitted for breast implants. Before her daughter was taken into surgery, Adelle talked to surgeon into a little reshaping on Regina's nose as well as correcting the problem caused by the accident. Regina was so pleased with the results that she began to share her mother's love for cosmetic procedures and underwent surgeries to get breast implants, a slight brow lift, and routine collagen injections. Her mother was usually by her side getting the same procedures done. Regina was wearing a perfectly tailored white suit and strappy white heels, every hair in place, manicure and pedicure expertly done. Cory looked miserable and Joe looked hungry, staring as a server carried a tray of food past him. Finally, Regina finished talking and started looking around. Jessica waved and Regina flashed her megawatt smile gesturing for Cory and Joe to follow her.  
"Jessica, sweetheart," Regina opened her arms. "Don't you look wonderful?"  
"So do you Regina," Jessica said, hugging her quickly. "Joe, it's nice to see you."   
"Hey Jessie, how ya been?" Joe smiled.  
"Busy," Jessica laughed.  
"Sorry we're late, we got here a few minutes ago but then I had to talk to the owner," Regina explained. "We did this place a couple years ago and now he's thinking of updating the decor and he needs to know when I'm free."  
"Sounds interesting," Jessica said.  
Cory took a seat next to her and quickly whispered, "I'm gonna kill her before this day is over."   
"Murder is never the answer," Jessica advised her sister.   
Regina stood up quickly, "Excuse me for one second, I see someone I know..Joseph order me a Caesar salad, dressing on the side, no croutons and an iced tea with two lemons."  
"Sure thing honey," Joe waved.  
When she walked away Cory stared at him, "How do you do this every day?"

-----------------------------------

"Do you like this shirt?" Viveca asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

Jeff looked up from the magazine he was reading to see what she was talking about.

"I don't think lavender is really my color," he said. "But you cut a couple holes in it and I might give it a try."

She laughed, picking up her brush, "I'm not sure I like it as much as I did when I bought it."

She said something else but Jeff was yawning and he couldn't hear her. He was exhausted. Just when he was falling into a deep sleep, Viveca woke him up, ordering him to take her to breakfast. At least she seemed to be in a good mood. Although a few times when she smiled it was a bit strained. Jeff was trying his best not to pry but it was hard. She walked past him and he gently took her hand, pulling her to stand in front of him, "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Can it wait until I finish curling my hair?" she asked.

"No baby, it cant," he shook his head. "I need to ask you something."

"Okay," she sat beside him. "You don't need a kidney do you? Because mine are way too small for your body."

Jeff laughed a little, "No, as far as I know the kidneys are okay."

"What do you need to ask?"

He took a deep breath, "I need to ask what it is that you're not telling me."

She looked away for a second and then forced a laugh, "I tell you everything."

"You used to," he said. "But there's something going on with you and I wanna know what it is."

"It's nothing," she insisted.

"It's not nothing V," he said. "I _know_ you., I know when there's something wrong. I wanna help."

"You cant help," she stood up.

"You're right, I cant," he said. "Not when you wont even tell me what's wrong."

"It's none of your business Jeff," she said, her voice getting louder.

"You are my business Viveca," he stood, frustrated. "If something's going on, I need to know about it."

"No you don't!" she yelled. "It's _none _of your business and you cant fix it, okay?!"

"No, it's not okay," he argued.

"Let it go Jeff!" she yelled, tears filling her eyes. "Just drop it!"

"I cant do that!" he yelled back.

"Fine," she stormed away.

He followed her , grabbing her arm and turning her around, "Why are you acting like this?"

"Me?" she stared. "You started this."

"Because I care," he said. "Damn it I love you and I-"

"If you love me then let me go," she said. "I cant talk to you right now."

He let go of her arm and she walked away.

He ran his hands through his hair, trying to calm down, "Viveca, where are you going?"

She grabbed her purse and the keys to his rental and opened the door, "Out."

-----------------------------------

"Cory as a housewife, I cant really see that," Hunter smirked.

"She wasn't a housewife for long," John said, shaking his head. "That was the weirdest dream."

"A good looking woman stripping in the kitchen is never weird," Hunter said. "It's a blessing."

John laughed, shaking his head at his friend, "Been a while for you too huh man?"

Hunter nodded, "Way too long. I don't know if I can handle it much longer."

"Me neither," John said. "I know it's bad when I'm having dreams about a woman I cant stand and the only thing that bothers me is that it ended before the sex."

"You two are sad," Chris laughed, shaking his head at his friends.

"Easy for you to say," Hunter said. "You at least have the _possibility_ of sex sometime in the near..near_ish_ future."

"With who?" John laughed. "Taylor? That ain't gonna happen."

"Thanks a lot," Chris laughed.

"I don't mean it like that it's just...Taylor's a very sweet girl," John said. "I cant see her getting with somebody unless she's in a serious relationship and _you_, my friend, haven't even asked her out yet."

"Correction," Chris smiled. "I have a date with her tonight. I don't have to work the show so we're going to dinner."

"No way," Hunter laughed.

"Congratulations man," John shook his friend's hand. Chris had pretty much fallen for Taylor the day he met her so it was nice to see that he was finally getting somewhere.

"Thank you," Chris said. "Now I guess we just need to find you two some dates."

"I'm this close to giving up on waiting for Jessica to dump that loser James," Hunter said.

Hunter and Chris both looked at John, obviously waiting for him to speak up.

"Don't look at me, I'm not pining away after anybody," he said. "I can get any woman I want."

Hunter smirked, "Then why haven't you?"

-----------------------------------

Adam walked out of his room making his way to the elevator. He heard a noise around a corner and then sniffling. Unable to ignore it, he turned, walking around the corner. He was immediately concerned when he saw Viveca leaning against the wall, tears flowing down her face, her purse on the floor next to her. He rushed toward her, "Viveca? What happened?"

She looked up at him and then the dam broke. She started sobbing and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.

"What happened?" he asked. "Did you and Jeff have a fight?"

She nodded against him, her tears soaking through his shirt.

"What did he do?" he asked, stroking her hair.

It took her some time to calm down. Her breathing started to even out and she pulled away, looking up at him, "He didn't do anything. It was my fault."

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"I don't know," she sniffed. "Because I mess everything up."

-----------------------------------

_1:00__ P.M._

"I didn't like that one at all," Regina shook her head taking the resume out of her sister's hands. "She wasn't even cute."

"She doesn't need to be cute Gina," Cory said. "She needs to be able to do her job."

"Cory to maintain a pleasant work environment you should surround yourself with reasonably attractive people," Regina said.

Taylor came back from the cooler carrying two bottles of water and a bottle of juice. They were in the arena early trying to get all the interviews out of the way before they had to get ready for the house show.

"Look at Taylor," Regina said, as the young woman handed her a bottle of water. "She's _adorable_ and she must be good at her job otherwise you wouldn't have asked for her help with this."

"Regina I am not going to toss her resume out because you don't think she's cute," Cory took the sheets of paper back from her. She shook her head, "Jesus."

"I'm just trying to help," Regina said. "I have a very successful business, I have to hire employees all the time."

Cory sighed, "I _know_ you're trying to help and I appreciate it, thank you."

"You're welcome," Regina smiled. "Now who's next?"

Cory was about to answer but then she smiled, waving at a few people that were walking toward them. The first one to catch Regina's eye was a tall, handsome, well built man with dark hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a suit, sans the tie and a very nice watch, probably a Rolex.

"Guys, come here," Cory waved. "I want to introduce you to my sister."

The three men walked over and Regina stood up, smiling.

"Gina this is Matt Hardy, Shannon Moore, and-"

"This one _must_ be your new boyfriend," Regina smiled, taking his hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

"You too," he laughed, looking a little confused.

"Whoa there," Cory pulled their hands apart. "No, no.. this isn't my boyfriend. This is my _friend_ Randy Orton. Randy this is Regina."

"Are you single?" Regina asked.

He smiled, "Last time I checked, yes."

Regina looked over at Cory, "What are you doing? He's perfect."

"You've known him for like 3 seconds," Cory gave her a look.

"I can see enough from his appearance," Regina said. "He's exactly what you need."

"He's standing like a foot away from us and this is _very_ uncomfortable, will you _please_ stop?" Cory whispered.

"Fine, fine," Regina said. "I suppose eventually I'll meet the real boyfriend...If he exists."

"He does exist okay, now can we get back to work _please_?"

Regina knew that her sister was dangerously close to throwing one of her fits so she sighed, smiling, "Gentlemen it was nice meeting you. I suppose we're getting back to work now."

-----------------------------------

Savannah smiled, looking at the picture of them together. They had been so happy once. Everything was perfect. She finally had someone who loved her. Someone who thought she was beautiful and important. Someone who wanted her and no one else. Then one day it was all over. He came to the apartment and told her that things just weren't working, that she was too possessive and that he couldn't deal with it anymore. Too possessive? She did everything she could to show him that she loved him, that there was no one in the world more important to her. She would have done anything for him and all he could say was that she was _too possessive_? She felt her face getting hot just thinking about it. He hadn't appreciated her then. He didn't love her the way he said he did, the way he promised he always would. He was a liar. She put him on a pedestal and he ripped her heart out. And now he was living his life as if everything was okay. Did he even think about her? Did he feel guilty for what he did to her?

_"I'm sorry Savannah I just...I can't do it anymore," he said._

_"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. "You can't do what?"_

_"You slashed my tires because you thought I cheated on you," he reminded her._

_She ran a hand through her hair, nervously licking her lips, "I apologized for that. You said you understood."_

_"I didn't understand," he said. "I don't understand any of the shit you do."_

_"Don't." she pointed at him. "Don't say that. You love me."_

_"How can I love someone who tries to make me miserable?" he asked. "Look I'm sorry but-"_

_"You can't do this," she said, feeling her heart beating faster by the second and tears filling her eyes. "You cant leave me."_

_"You haven't given me much of a choice," he said, walking past her. "If I left anything here, you can keep it."_

_He started walking away and she rushed to the door, standing in front of it, "No..No, no, no, no."_

_"Savannah, move," he said sternly._

_"No!" she screamed._

_He stared at her. She couldn't stand the way he was looking at her. He was looking at her like she was crazy. She wasn't crazy._

_"I'm sorry," she rushed to him, falling against him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I yelled. I didn't mean to yell."_

_"You're always yelling," he said, his voice filled with anger. "Or accusing me of something I didn't do, asking me where I am and what I'm doing. Showing up at shows and signings, threatening fans. Savannah..you need help."_

_"I need _you_!" she cried, clutching his shirt in her hands. "That's all I need..just you."_

_"Let me go," he said, taking a step back._

_She shook her head, "No. I can't."_

_"You don't have a choice Savannah, _let go_," he said, grabbing her wrists and pushing her away._

_She stumbled over the edge of the rug and fell onto her hands and knees. She sat down, leaning against the wall and looking up at him, "Please...don't go."_

_"I'm sorry," he said. "I have to."_

_He opened the door and she got up as he was walking out. She grabbed his sleeve, "We can work this out. You don't have to-"_

_"Stop it!" he yelled. "Just stop! I cant deal with this shit anymore!"_

_"But I love you!" she yelled._

_"No you don't," he said, pulling his arm away. "You're obsessed. You're _crazy_."_

_"I am not crazy!" she yelled._

_He shook his head, "You keep telling yourself that."_

_With that, he closed the door behind him. Within seconds she could hear him pulling out of the driveway. The walls seemed to get closer and closer. Her skin was burning, she could hear a pounding noise in her ears. How could he do this? How could he leave her? Her breathing grew faster and faster as she stumbled into the living room. The first thing she saw was a picture of them together. It was from their third date. She'd framed it and put it on the coffee table. She picked it up and threw it as hard as she could, watching the frame hit the wall and shatter. She picked up something else, she wasn't even sure what she was and threw it. A shard of glass flew back and she felt a sharp pain in her cheek. She screamed falling onto the couch but she wasn't screaming from the pain. She was angry. So angry she couldn't see. She couldn't hear. She just felt hot burning rage coursing through her veins._

Savannah looked down, realizing that she was crumpling the picture in her hands.

"Damn it," she said putting it down and smoothing it out with both hands. "Why did you do this?"

-----------------------------------

Cory looked up when the next applicant knocked on the door. As the crew started setting up for the show they'd been moved from their spot in the cafeteria to an office. So far they'd done 6 interviews. Two of them had been dressed in jeans and didn't seem terribly motivated. Two were very timid and quiet and Cory feared she would scare them to death. And one said that she never used profanity and hated to hear it and Cory immediately crossed her off the list. The only one that seemed like a possibility was, as Regina called her, 'The Ugly One'.

"Come in," Taylor called. The door opened and a very pretty brunette walked in. She looked to be in her late 20's or early 30's. She was wearing a dark gray suit with a pale pink shirt underneath. She had long brown hair, hazel eyes, and a manicure that rivaled Regina's.

"Hello," Cory smiled, waving a little. "Please have a seat."

The table was round and the only empty chair was the one between Cory and Regina, across from Taylor. She settled into the seat, smiling.

Cory introduced herself, "I'm Cory Samms."

"Jacinda Bernahl," she smiled, shaking Cory's hand. "It's great to meet you."

"You too," Cory said. "I'd like you to meet my-"

"Let me guess, your sister," Jacinda smiled at Taylor.

Everyone laughed a little and Cory shook her head, "No, this is my good friend Taylor Vogle, she works as a personal assistant for Viveca Bonham."

"I'm sorry," Jacinda seemed a little embarrassed. "I thought one of the other applicants said that your sister was with you and you two kind of look alike."

"We do?" Cory asked, confused.

"I wish," Taylor laughed.

"Oh stop," Cory laughed. She turned her attention back to Jacinda, "I actually do have my sister here, this is-"

"Regina Rose," Jacinda smiled excitedly. "I attending a wedding you did once, it was _immaculate_."

"I like her already," Regina smiled, shaking her hand.

"Did you bring a resume with you?" Taylor asked.

"I did," Jacinda opened the black leather folder she had with her and pulled out three copies handing one to each of them. "I brought extras just in case."

Cory read it over and was very impressed. Jacinda had just recently left a position as the personal secretary to a real estate developer for 7 years. Before that she was one of two secretaries hired by the owner of a publishing company and in college she was a teaching assistant for four semesters. Cory looked over at Taylor whose eyes were wide as she read over the pages.

"Well you're obviously qualified," Regina said.

Cory was tempted to kick her sister under the table. She was about ready to give the job away without even asking her a question.

"What made you leave your last job?" Taylor asked.

"Well, to be quite honest I was getting bored," Jacinda said. It was only my second job out of college and I'd been there for 7 years. I loved my job and I got paid well but it wasn't very interesting anymore. I was in a rut and I knew that if I stayed there any longer, I was going to start falling asleep at my desk. I needed a change."

Cory nodded, "Have you ever actually watched wrestling?"

"No," she answered honestly. "Not before I found out about this job earlier this week. I watched on Monday night and I liked it quite a bit but I'm honestly not much of a sports fan."

"Then what makes you want to work here?" Taylor asked.

Cory smiled, Taylor was getting good at this.

"I wasn't sure about it until I saw the show on Monday," Jacinda admitted. "I've never worked for a strong, independent woman before and I think that's what you are."

"She is," Regina smiled proudly.

"And I'd love to work in an environment that's a little more hustle and bustle. Organized chaos if you will."

"That's a good way to describe this place," Cory laughed. She tapped her pen on hte pad of paper in front of her, trying to think of another question.

"There's a lot of travel involved in working with this company," Taylor said. "The wrestlers and divas are only home a few days out of the month and as assistants we barely get more days off than them. Do you think you'd be able to handle that?"

She thought about it for a second and then nodded, "Absolutely. I love to travel and I don't really have any family that I need to see every day so I think I'd be fine."

"And how are you with dealing with demanding people?" Regina asked. "My sister is prone to fits."

"Excuse me?!" Cory stared.

"It's true," Regina said. "You're highly emotional. You have been since the day you were born."

"That is not true," Cory assured Jacinda.

"Once when she was in first grade, the teacher took a toy away from her and she faked a fainting spell."

Cory looked down at her hands, unable to deny that particular incident.

"You faked fainting when you were little?" Taylor laughed.

"One time," Cory said. "Whatever, once I 'came to' I got my toy back."

Jacinda laughed, "I'm very high maintenance myself so I can relate to demanding people and I can definitely handle working for one."

-----------------------------------

"Is he here yet?" Viveca looked up when Adam walked back into the dressing room.

Adam shook his head, handing her a cup of coffee, "I didn't see him."

Viveca stood up, taking a quick sip of her coffee. She started pacing, "I need to talk to him Adam. I have to apologize."

"V, he shouldn't have pushed you," Adam said.

"I've been keeping things from him Adam," she said. "He loves me. He's worried."

"That doesn't mean it's okay to yell at you," he said.

"_I_ started the yelling," she said. "Adam I know you're my friend but you don't have to tell me I'm right when I know I'm not. He wanted to help and I blew up at him. God, why am I so stupid sometimes?"

"You're not stupid," he took her hand to stop her from pacing.

"You have no idea," she laughed bitterly. "I have quite a talent for screwing things up with people who love me."

"Jeff's been your lapdog for years, he's not gonna give up on you because of a little fight," Adam smirked.

Viveca looked up at him, "Can you please not call him that?"

"It was a joke," Adam said.

"I know but I don't like it," she said. She walked over to her purse, getting out her cell phone. She pushed a button and pressed it to her ear, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Damn it, where is he?" she asked, her eyes looking misty again.

"Just calm down," Adam advised. "Everything will be fine."

"That's easy for you to say Adam," she said. "Do you know what it's like to feel like you might lose the person you love?"

He was quiet for a second then he shook his head, "No, I guess not."

-----------------------------------

"Thanks for coming in Jacinda," Cory smiled.

"Thanks for seeing me," Jacinda smiled. "I really would love to work with you."

"One of us will call you in the next day or so to let you know what we decide," Cory gestured between herself and Taylor.

"Wonderful," she smiled. She shook hands with both Taylor and Regina, "It was great meeting both of you."

Both blondes returned the sentiment before Jacinda walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Well she was the last one," Cory said.

"She has a _great_ resume," Taylor said. "She's way more qualified than I am for this job."

"You're perfectly qualified," Cory said.

"That suit was tailored and her shoes were fabulous," Regina said, finishing her water.

"She doesn't know the business," Cory reminded them.

"Who cares?" Regina asked. "You don't want some groupie who'd be more interested in trying to sleep with a wrestler than getting her work done."

"She's right," Taylor said. "And I didn't know much about the business when I started."

That was very true. Taylor came in completely green but now, though she was technically Viveca's assistant, just about everyone asked for her help with one thing or another.

"Am I the only one that didn't buy that whole wanting to work for a strong independent woman thing?" Cory asked.

"She was definitely sucking up," Taylor said. "But everybody sucks up during job interviews. That doesn't change the fact that she was the best for the job."

"Taylor's right," Regina agreed. "You need to hire her."

"I'll think about it," Cory said, getting up and stretching for a few seconds. "Let's get outta here."

Regina picked up her purse and Cory held the door open, flipping the light off and following the other two out the door.

"By the way," Cory smiled over at Taylor. "How did you get so good at interviews?"

Taylor laughed, "I don't know."

-----------------------------------


	26. Chapter 26

**Here's the next chapter...I'm very excited about where the story is going and I _really_ hope you are too. I'm already working on the next chapter and hopefully it'll be done soon. And to those of you who've been reviewing, Big Hugs, you're all awesome! Thanks! As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!**

**Chapter 26...**

Cory touched up her eyeliner in the mirror, making sure it was even. She was getting ready for the show and for some reason, Regina was in the mirror next to her, intently studying her own face. Cory stopped what she was doing, watching as her sister made different faces, her eyes fixed on one part of her face.

Cory shook her head, "Gina, what are you doing?"

Regina sighed, "Do you two think I should fix this wrinkle?" Regina said, pointing to her forehead, very close to her hairline. It took a few seconds for Cory to even see what she was talking about.

"Regina, how many times do I have to tell you you're beautiful?" Joe asked from his seat on the couch. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with your face. Besides, wrinkles give you character."

"Don't be silly dear," Regina said. "Wrinkles do nothing but make you look old and I am not old."

"That's not what your wrinkles say," Cory teased.

Regina glared at her with icy green eyes.

"I was _joking_," Cory laughed, putting an arm around her sister. "You're _24_, that is not even remotely old. And I'm only two years younger than you so if you're old what am I?"

"Getting old," Regina smirked. "I think I'm gonna get the wrinkle done when I go to get my Restalyne next week. It's been almost 5 months."

"Gina you don't need any more work done," Cory said. "Put the needle down and step away."

"Easy for you to say," Regina said. "You got gram's lips. I got stuck with mother's pencil thin ones."

"Mother hasn't seen those since she was 16," Cory laughed. "Did Gram ever tell you about Adelle's very first collagen experience?"

Regina shook her head.

"Gram took her to LA with her for some premiere or something and while Gram was having dinner with an old friend, Mother swiped a credit card, left the hotel, and came back with fuller lips and a new haircut."

"That sounds like your mom," Joe laughed.

"You know, speaking of getting older, exactly how long do I have to wait before I meet this new boyfriend?" Regina asked. "I'm starting to wonder if he even exists."

Cory prayed she wasn't flushed. She hadn't thought of a plan yet.

_Son of a bitch_

"He exists," she said quickly.

"Then where is he dear?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, we wanna check this guy out," Joe said.

"Go get him," Regina urged.

_Why didn't I just let her think Randy was my boyfriend? Why did I even lie in the first place? Crap...They're staring at you..say something_

"I uh..I can't right this second," she said.

"Why not?" Joe asked.

"Because he's..busy," Cory shrugged.

"Too busy for his girlfriend?" Regina asked. "What kind of boyfriend is that?"

Cory bit her bottom lip.

"Why are you so reluctant to just go get him?" Regina asked. "Does he have a deformity or something?"

"He's fine," Cory said. "There's nothing wrong with him.

"Then go get him," Regina insisted, pulling a tube of lip gloss out of her purse.

"Babe, Cory's obviously a little nervous about us meeting this guy," Joe said. "Let's just give her a little time."

"She's had all day," Regina shrugged. "Go get him sweetheart. We'll wait here."

Cory felt completely and utterly backed into a corner. Her sister was good at making people feel like that.

_Do something...anything...she's staring again.._

"Okay," Cory stood up, walking toward the door. "I'll go get him."

With that, she walked out of the dressing room, closing the door behind her, trying to figure out what to do here. She had two real options: Find someone to help her out or admit her lie and put up with Regina's reaction. She chewed her thumb nail, hoping for some sort of a sign. She'd already introduced Regina to so many people and clearly described them as friends that her options were _very_ limited. Then, she heard laughter coming from around the corner. Very familiar laughter. She wasn't sure if this was a blessing or a curse. She looked up at nothing in particular and sighed.

_God I must be desperate..._

John Cena made his way around the corner and Cory took a deep breath, hoping this went well. She was about to say something to him but he walked right past her.

_Okay...This is gonna be a little harder than I thought_

She tried not to be pissed, considering the way she'd been treating him. She needed his help and she was gonna have to down a shot of pride to get it.

"John," she turned to follow him, finally catching up to him and taking his wrist. "Can I talk to you?"

-----------------------------------

John turned to face Cory, gearing up for yet another argument.

"Oh you wanna talk now, huh?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and looked at him, "John..I'm really sorry for being such a bitch to you since I've been back."

John smiled and she looked hopeful.

"No you're not."

Her smile fell, "Yes I am."

"No you're not," John shook his head, seeing right through her act.

"Yes I am," she insisted.

"No you're not..you want something," he accused. "I can see it in your eyes."

She looked offended, "I do not. What could I possibly want-"

John gave her a look. Cory was too expressive for her own good. She could act her ass off when the cameras were on but when they weren't...everything tended to be written all over her face.

"Okay fine, maybe I want something."

He shook his head, turning to walk away. She had the nerve to ask him for something? When he wanted to talk to her earlier she treated him like gum on the bottom of her shoe and now she wanted something. He could hear her following him.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He faced her again, "I don't have time for this right now."

He tried to leave again but she got in front of him, "John, I really need your help."

"I cant help you," he walked around her but she grabbed his hand, pulling him back.

"You won't even hear me out?" she asked.

"Cory," he looked down at her, growing frustrated. "You have been a royal _bitch_ to me for days and now you expect me to help you?"

She looked down for a second and then back up at him, her expression sincere, "Look..I'm sorry."

He rolled his eyes.

"I really am," she insisted, still holding on to his wrist. "But you have to admit, you jammed your foot in your mouth pretty good at my party. You pissed me off."

John knew that she was right but he was still annoyed.

"I was trying to apologize to you earlier," he pointed out.

"And I was too stubborn to listen to you, I admit that..We were both wrong," she looked up at him with hopeful blue eyes. "Right?"

He sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. She was right, they were both stubborn and wrong and now she was gonna give him that puppy dog expression until he caved.

"What do you want?"

"Well," she said. "My sister Regina and her boyfriend are here. My mother arranged a visit and kind of waited until the last minute to tell me about it so I wasn't in much of a position to stop it."

"Cory, get to the point," he said.

"I kind of blurted out that I had a boyfriend and now she wants to meet him," Cory said quickly.

"Oh no," John shook his head. "No way."

"John-"

"Didn't we already do this like six months ago?" he asked.

"Yes, and if I remember correctly that was _your_ idea," she pointed. "You started that act without even asking me."

"I know that but still," John laughed a little. "I'm not doing it again."

"Okay I know we don't get along all that well but it would only be for a couple days," she gave him a pleading look.

"Why don't you just tell her you lied?" John asked. "What's the big deal?"

"You don't know this woman," Cory said. "My sister is the most hypercritical, overbearing, judgmental, controlling, and snotty person I have ever met...Except my mother."

John smirked, "What a family."

"You don't know the crap I will be subject to if I don't produce a boyfriend in the next..5 minutes," she said. "Do you want me to have to go through that?"

John once again gave her a look.

"Okay fine, I'll pay you," she offered.

John felt a little guilty. She was obviously desperate. But the last time they put on this little act was one of the most confusing times of his life. Granted that was for longer than a few days but...He just didn't wanna get into it again.

"You know what, never mind," she shook her head. "I cant believe I'm begging you. Don't worry about it."

John was a little confused by the sudden change.

She shrugged, "Just wish me luck when Gina starts setting me up with accountants and lawyers and every other _boring_ single guy she knows."

Cory started walking back toward her dressing room and John felt himself frowning at the thought of Cory's sister setting her up on dates.

_Why do I care? I don't care...Why should I? That's her problem not mine...Let her go on dates...Whatever_

She got her hand on the doorknob and John walked toward her, "Cory, wait up."

She turned, looking confused, "What?"

"I'll do it," he offered.

She looked skeptical, "Two seconds ago you wouldn't...What changed your mind?"

"I uh...I have a few family members that like to meddle. They're a pain in the ass," he shrugged. "I just wanna help."

"Are you serious?" she smiled.

John nodded, "Free of charge."

Cory jumped up, hugging him, "Thank you!"

-----------------------------------

Viveca waited outside the door to the men's locker room, knowing that Jeff was inside, getting ready for his match. She knew he didn't like to have serious discussions before a match, he liked to keep his mind free of any real personal drama to make sure he could focus on the job but she couldn't wait until after the show. She needed to talk to him. She wanted to make things right. Or at least make things better. She reached up to knock but before she could the door opened and Adam walked out. He looked somewhat surprised to see her.

"Hey, what's up?" he smiled.

"I came to talk to Jeff," she said.

Adam shook his head, "I don't think that's a good idea V..you know how he is before a show."

"I know but..I really wanna talk to him now," Viveca said. "This is driving me crazy."

"I understand that but...why don't you just wait until later?" he asked. "He's in there talking to Matt and he seemed really focused."

Viveca ran a hand through her hair, knowing that Adam was right. She needed to talk to him but she also needed to think as a professional and respect that he needed a little space at the moment.

"Come on, let's go get some water or something," Adam offered.

She sighed, looking at the door and then back at him, "Okay I guess."

-----------------------------------

"So she just left?" Chris asked.

Jeff nodded, "And I haven't talked to her all day. I looked for her earlier but Adam said she wasn't ready to talk."

"Maybe you should ask Taylor if she knows what's going on," Chris suggested.

"I'm sure she does but I don't wanna put Taylor in that position," Jeff said. "I'm sure Viveca's told her not to tell me."

"Yeah and Taylor's an expert at keeping a secret," Chris said.

Jeff smirked, "Give her a break."

"I do," Chris said. "It just gets a little frustrating. I want her to trust me."

"I know the feeling," Jeff sighed, sitting across from his friend. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

"Relationships with beautiful, secretive women," Chris answered. "Women who would rather have us go insane trying to figure out their secrets than just tell us."

Jeff nodded.

"Hell, I'm not even in a real relationship with one," Chris said. "I'm just trying to be...Which I think might make me insane."

"It might," Jeff laughed. "But a blind man can see how you and Taylor feel about each other...It's just a matter of time."

"I guess," Chris ran a hand through his hair. "We're going to dinner after the show tonight."

"Oh yeah?" Jeff smiled. "Well that's a start."

Chris smiled, "Hopefully."

-----------------------------------

John laughed a little as Cory took a deep breath and closed her eyes before they went into the dressing room.

" She cant be that bad," he laughed.

"You haven't met her yet," Cory said. "Okay, now when we go in here just smile, don't talk too much, and whatever you do, do not look at her forehead."

John made a face, "What's wrong with her forehead?"

"Nothing but if you look at it she'll be at her plastic surgeon's office first thing in the morning," she said. "Just trust me."

John shrugged, "Okay...smile, nod, don't look at the forehead. Got it."

John smirked to himself. He had no intention of listening to those rules. Well, except for the forehead one. Aside from that, he was going to do whatever he wanted and Cory couldn't do anything about it because she needed his help...This was gonna be fun.

She opened the door and walked in, pasting a big smile on her face.

Before they could walk in, a young man in his mid to late twenties got in front of Cory, backing them out of the room.

"I wouldn't go in there right now," he said, brushing a hand over his sandy blonde hair.

"Why?" Cory looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"There was a slight problem with a house she's doing in Connecticut," the man, presumably Regina's boyfriend, explained. "It's a summer home for some business mogul and there's a paint issue and..."

"And she's flipping out," Cory said.

"That's your sister," he smirked. Then, he turned, offering John a smile, "So this is the guy, huh?"

Cory nodded, looking up at him.

"Joe Morris," he extended a hand. "Nice to meet you."

"John Cena," he smiled, shaking his hand.

"I apologize in advance for my fiancé she's a little..high strung," Joe said.

"Must run in the family," John smirked.

"Shutup," Cory made a face at him.

"You're so cute when you get all snippy," John touched the tip of Cory's nose.

"You do that again and I'll bite your finger off," she glared.

"Is Regina this violent?" John asked Joe.

"Not all the time," Joe laughed. "So..how long have you two been together?"

"A couple months now," John answered before Cory could. She arched a brow at him and he smiled, putting an arm around her. "We fought like cats and dogs in the beginning but i knew it was just a matter of time. She cant seem to stay away from me."

John could see her biting the inside of her lip but she didn't say anything.

"Regina and I were at each other's throats at first too," Joe laughed. "I thought I hated her those first couple weeks."

"That's how I felt about this one," John laughed.

"Regina!" Cory knocked on the door to the dressing room, obviously growing tired of the conversation. "Open the door."

After a few seconds, the door was yanked open by a pretty, obviously aggravated blonde with a phone pressed between her ear and shoulder and a PDA in one hand.

"John, this is my sister Regina," Cory said.

Regina held up a finger, "Why am I upset?! Is that a serious question?" she asked the unfortunate person on the other end of the call. "I want someone to explain to me how I leave for two days and the wrong color ended up on my clients walls!..._Winter Amethyst _in the daughter's bedroom and _Coy Pink_ in the bathroom. Who the hell puts disgusting, dirty Old Vine in an 8 year old girl's bedroom? That color is like moss and baby crap mixed with cement!"

"Wow," John said under his breath.

Joseph must have heard him because he laughed, shaking his head, "There's nothing funnier than hearing someone scream things like winter amethyst and coy pink."

"This client is paying 350,000 dollars for 3 rooms, the least you can do is get the paint right...I don't care whose fault it was Hank, just _fix it_," Regina closed the phone and then pressed a few more buttons on her PDA before shoving them both back into her purse. She took a deep breath and then smiled at John, "So sorry about that, just dealing with incompetent employees."

"Hank's been her assistant for 2 years, he's not incompetent," Cory defended the young man.

"He is right now dear," Regina smiled at her sister. With them standing so close together, John couldn't see much of a resemblance between Cory and Regina. When Cory and Jessie were in the room together it was pretty undeniable but it wasn't that way with these two.

"So, are you going to introduce me or do I have to do it myself?" Regina smirked at Cory.

John noticed Cory's eyebrow twitch but she put on her smile, "Gina, this is John Cena, John this is my sister Regina."

"Nice to meet you," John extended his hand.

Regina took it, eyeing him with scrutiny as they shook hands. John rarely felt nervous but something about Cory's sister looking at him like that was a little unnerving. But he couldn't let that get to him. He needed to focus on the task at hand; torturing Cory.

"Aren't you the one that comes out and raps or something?" Regina asked.

"That would be me," John nodded.

Regina nodded, looking like she was thinking.

"Cory loves it," John put his arm around her again, pulling her close to him. "Don't you honey?"

"Oh yeah," Cory nodded. "He's..amazing."

"Thank you babe," John pretended to be touched.

She looked up at him and smiled and, without warning, John kissed her. Only for a couple seconds, which was long enough to have her staring at him. She looked a bit dazed and he struggled not to laugh.

"Well, come, sit down," Regina said. "Tell us more about you."

-----------------------------------

Dawn stood in front of the mirror, toying with the belt that held her short silk robe closed. She'd come into the bathroom to avoid being in the locker room with the rest of the women. The house show was set to open with a bikini contest and for once, she was actually feeling insecure. The past week or so she'd definitely abandoned any sort of diet, though everything she ate usually left her in the morning. She looked down at her stomach, "Thanks a lot."

Sighing, she untied the belt and then opened the robe, surveying her appearance. Her eyes went right to her stomach. To the outside eye, she probably looked the same. A few people might notice a few extra pounds but no one knew yet..No one knew that she was pregnant. And she was going to make sure no one found out until she figured out what to do.

-----------------------------------


	27. Chapter 27

**Okay peeps, here's the new chapter...I'm about to go to the J-O-B so for once, I'm not gonna ramble too much. Thanks so much for the reviews, you're all fab. Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 27...**

Jeff shoved another t-shirt into his bag, not sure if it was his or Matt's but not really caring. He was getting a headache and he just wanted to go back to the hotel. He zipped the bag and dropped it onto the floor, looking around for the keys to his rental. When he turned toward the doorway, he was surprised to see Viveca standing there, looking timid.

"Hey," she offered a quick wave.

He nodded to her.

She looked down at her hands and then back up at him.

"You still mad?" he asked. He was pretty sure he knew the answer but he wanted to be sure. He really wasn't in the mood for another fight.

"I stopped being mad hours ago," she admitted, stepping further into the room.

Jeff sat down, waiting for her to take a seat beside him. He rested his elbows on his legs, leaning forward. She sat next to him and put her small hand on his forearm.

"Jeff, you have a right to know what's wrong with me," she said. "If the situation were reversed..I'd be worried and frustrated too. I'd probably annoy you until you couldn't take it anymore and just told me everything I want to know."

He laughed a little, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier," she said.

He didn't want her to think that he'd been waiting all day for an apology. He hadn't. He just wanted to talk to her. They both blew up and they were both at fault for the fight getting where it did.

"Viveca, I just want you to be able to tell me everything," he looked over at her.

She sighed, looking down at her lap. After a few seconds, she began talking, "I grew up in New Jersey...My dad's name is Tom Johnson and he was a foreman pretty much all my life. My mom's name is Lorraine and she has a small florist shop not too far from the house...I have an older brother William, he's 29. My sister Lianna just turned 21 last month..and my little brother Liam is 18."

Jeff listened intently. So far everything she said was news to him.

"When I was younger, our family was _so_ close," she smiled wistfully. "My mom doted on all of us and my dad..he was practically a God to me."

She took a deep breath and Jeff took her hand, running his thumb over it to comfort her.

"William was like my best friend and Liam and Lianna...they followed us around like little puppies," she shook her head. "We were one of those perfect families, you know?"

"Sounds like it," Jeff nodded.

"Then, when I was 16, I met this guy...Brian," she said. "And I didn't think anyone could ever be more perfect. He was..older..handsome..everything I thought I wanted...Then, I started going out more and more, doing lots of stupid things. Brian was 21 and could get us in just about anywhere we wanted to go. I broke almost every rule my parents ever set...William _hated_ him. He got so mad that he cornered him once and told him not to be with my anymore. I was so angry I slapped him. We had a huge fight and I left the house that night and stayed at Brian's. It was like that for months...My family would intervene and I would throw a fit and leave."

Jeff nodded.

"When I decided to start modeling, Brian said he would be my manager. Being 17 and completely in love or stupid or whatever..I said okay. He set up a photo shoot for me and we took pictures for my portfolio. He promised that he was gonna make me famous. I took some pictures that I wouldn't want getting out now. I didn't want to but..he told me how much he loved me and how beautiful I was and he gave me a few drinks so I did it. I found out later that he slipped me something to help me relax. He said it was just to loosen me up and he did it because he loved me...My poor parents did everything they could to try and get me to dump him but I thought they were just jealous. They didn't understand our love or some crap like that...I didn't take into consideration that he treated my whole family like garbage...Finally..my parents just couldn't take it anymore. They told me it was him or them and, like an idiot, I chose him. I packed up everything and we moved to New York. It was another 7 months of wasting my life, not talking to my family, before I realized that Brian was really the disgusting asshole everyone thought he was."

"What did you do?" Jeff asked.

"I packed up everything and tried to go back home...but my family didn't want me back," she said, her voice cracking on her last word. "They said that I caused them all so much pain that they just...didn't want me there...They didn't believe I'd grown up. They didn't trust me. They said I made a choice and..I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe they would turn their backs on me like that. I still don't...I know I was wrong but..it just hurt _so_ much. I went and stayed with some friends and finished school. Then, I changed my last name to Bonham, went back to New York and started modeling for real..on my own...Later I found out that my mom was looking for me but I didn't wanna talk to her. Not after the way they treated me. They abandoned me..They disowned me...And I've avoided them for years but now...now my father is sick..."

"I'm sorry baby," he said, smoothing her hair.

"When I had to leave it was because...because they thought he was gonna die."

She couldn't hold in her emotions anymore. The tears flowed and Jeff pulled her close to him, stroking her hair.

"It's okay baby," he said. "It's gonna be okay."

-----------------------------------

"Your sister has been staring at her PDA through the _entire _show," Dawn walked into the dressing room, plopping down on the couch and opening the bag of chips she'd just gotten out of the vending machine.

"I know," Cory pulled on a pair of sweatpants. "I'm surprised she even watched when I came out."

"Where's she at now?" Jessica asked.

"She got a call," Cory said. "Something about drywall cracking or something."

"Where's Joe?" Dawn asked.

"He tends to hover around her when she's on business calls to make sure she doesn't go all Naomi Campbell and throw her phone at anyone," Cory explained. "She hit a guy in the head with a walkie talkie once at a building site. Big lawsuit."

"Wow," Dawn shook her head. "She's as crazy as you are."

"Ha ha," Cory made a face at her friend.

Dawn looked up when the door opened and John walked in, smiling, "Where's my girl?"

"You keep him away from me," Cory pointed with her water bottle.

"John," Dawn used a scolding tone. "What did you do to her now?"

"I didn't do anything to her," John laughed. "I thought we were getting along beautifully."

Dawn couldn't say she was surprised that Cory and John were pretending to date again. She knew the second Cory told her that she'd lied to Regina that this would happen. She was pretty sure they both secretly got a kick out of it.

"He kissed me," Cory said, sitting on the arm of the couch beside Dawn.

"You kissed her?" Dawn stared.

"Just a little kiss," John shrugged.

"In front of Regina," Cory added.

"I'm supposed to be your boyfriend," John shrugged, walking toward her. "What's wrong with kissing you?"

"You come any closer to me and this water is going all over you," Cory warned, putting her feet up, ready for attack. Cory was trying for a threatening look but Dawn could see that she was holding back laughter. She shook her head, amused at how quickly she and John went from sworn enemies to good buddies or whatever they were.

"Don't worry, I'm only gonna hit on you when your sister's around," he smirked, sitting on Dawn's other side. "No matter how much you want me to."

Cory rolled her eyes, taking another sip of water, "I need you to be free tomorrow night."

"She's gettin all demanding now," John smirked. "What for?"

"Regina's making me stay at my grandmother's house while we're here and she's _insisting_ that we have dinner there tomorrow."

"Another night with your sister?" John laughed. "How could I say no?"

"Hey, I offered to pay you, you turned it down," Cory shrugged.

"Of course he did," Jessica piped up. "He likes you."

"I do _not_ like her," John said defensively.

"Hey," Cory frowned.

"I don't," John shrugged.

"Yeah but you don't have to say it like _that_," Cory said.

"Forgive me," John put his hands up. "I don't like her in that way...She's okay as a friend...sometimes."

"That's better," Cory nodded.

"You people are weird," Jessica laughed, zipping up her gym bag and walking toward the door.

"Jess, you wanna come to dinner tomorrow?" Cory asked.

"You know, as delightful as dinner with Gina sounds...I'm gonna have to pass," Jessica laughed, pulling the keys to her rental out of her pocket.

"Please Jessica, you'd be the best big sister in the whole wide world," Cory pleaded.

Jessica rolled her eyes, "I'll think about it."

"Thank you," Cory smiled, waving as her sister walked out of the room.

"You wanna come D?" Cory asked.

"How many people are you inviting?" Dawn laughed.

"As many people as I can to counteract the evil that is my sister," Cory smiled.

"Are you inviting Mark?" Dawn asked, apprehensive.

"That was the plan," she nodded.

"I thought you and Mark were cool," John looked confused.

"We are I just...I don't know Cory," Dawn said, looking down at the bag of chips, surprised to find that she'd finished it in only a few minutes.

"You should come D," John encouraged. "Maybe you can help this one try and keep her hands off me."

Cory got up, smacking him upside the head, "I'll be back, I'm going to find Joe and Gina."

"See that?" John smirked over at Dawn. "She cant stop touching me."

-----------------------------------

"So you're going on your big date tonight, huh?" Mark asked as he, Chris, Glenn, and Hunter walked out to their cars.

Chris nodded, "Providing that she doesn't back out at the last minute."

"She wont," Hunter said. "She likes you."

"That hasn't stopped us from going this long without an actual date," Chris said.

"I cant believe you're nervous," Glenn laughed. "I've never seen this before."

"I'm not nervous," he said. "I'm just...apprehensive."

"Why?" Mark asked.

"I mean, am I crazy?" Chris asked. "She's obviously got some _serious_ emotional problems and by getting into something with her, I'm taking those on."

"Dude, you kinda took those on the day you decided to be her savior on the side of the road," Hunter said. "And then flied out to Chicago to find her when she ran off."

"He's right," Mark said. "You've wanted to protect her since the day you met her."

"When did you get to be so sweet?" Glenn asked.

"Shutup," Chris pointed. "At least I have a love life...possibly..in the near future."

"Wow Chris," Glenn put a hand over his heart. "You really know how to hurt a man's feelings."

-----------------------------------

Jeff yawned, his eyelids drooping. It had been a long day and he was tired. He and Viveca were back at the hotel, sitting on the couch. Well, he was sitting, she was laying over his lap with her head against the armrest. He ran a hand through her hair, looking down at her. Her eyes were just barely opened and he was fairly certain she wasn't really paying any attention to what was going on in the movie they'd started watching. He brushed his thumb lightly over her temple and a smile touched her lips but she didn't move. After finally telling him about her family, she'd been more at ease than he'd seen her in weeks. She was still upset but at least she could talk to someone about it now. Jeff was glad he could be that person. One thing was still puzzling him though.

"Babe?" he brushed a curl away from her face.

"Hmm?" she mumbled sleepily.

His brow furrowed slightly, "You said that you weren't mad for most of the day..right?"

She nodded, yawning.

"Then why didn't you come talk to me earlier?" he asked.

She turned over so that she was on her back, looking up at him, "I wanted to..but Adam told me not to."

"He did?" Jeff asked, surprised.

She nodded, "Something about how you like to get in your zone before matches. I figured I'd just wait so I didn't disturb you."

Jeff nodded, deciding to keep to himself that Adam had told him not to talk to Viveca because she was still upset. Either he was so tired that he was drawing up conspiracy theories..or Adam had some ulterior motives.

-----------------------------------

Taylor looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. She'd come back to the hotel early to get ready for dinner with Chris and so far she'd managed to take a shower and...that was about it. She'd been on dates before. But considering she'd never gotten past a first date, she wasn't extremely confident about this one. And her lack of suitable wardrobe didn't help much. She looked at her hair that had _finally_ finished drying and wished she could just twitch her nose like Samantha on Bewitched and make it do what she wanted to. When it dried on it's own, her hair was a weird wavy, curly mixture that was hard to get to look any way but messy. As far as makeup went, she owned one tube of clear lip gloss and some old mascara, probably not enough for some miraculous makeover in the next hour. She looked down at the WWE magazine that had fallen off of her bed. It was open to a group picture of the divas and when she looked at one in particular, a lightbulb went off in her head. She picked up her favorite pair of jeans and a t-shirt, putting them on. She was going to need some help.

-----------------------------------

"Is that everything?" Joe asked, dropping the suitcases by the door.

"Yeah, thanks Joe," Cory patted her future in-law on the back. Regina had volunteered him to help her carry her bags down to the car. Cory wasn't quite sure how she'd gotten talked into staying at her grandmother's estate but Regina had a way of bullying just about anyone into things. Cory picked up the keys to her rental and stepped into her shoes, walking toward the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to find Taylor, hand raised to knock.

"Hi," Taylor looked startled.

"Hey Taylor," Cory smiled.

"Hello sweetie," Regina spoke up, coming to stand next to Cory. "We were just on our way out."

"Oh," Taylor seemed a bit crestfallen.

"Forgive her," Cory laughed. "She's rude sometimes...What's up?"

"Well," Taylor took a deep breath, wringing her hands. "I kinda needed your help with something but you're leaving so don't worry about it."

"Okay then, let's go," Regina said.

"Gina," Cory gave her sister a look. She rolled her eyes, turning back to Taylor who had already turned to walk away, "What'd you need help with?"

Taylor looked slightly embarrassed when she turned back around.

"Come on, out with it," Cory encouraged.

"I'm going to dinner with Chris tonight," Taylor said. "And I have no idea what to wear and my hair is just..blah and.."

"And you want my help?" Cory smiled. She was touched. It wasn't really like Taylor to ask for help with anything.

"I _need_ your help," Taylor laughed. "Desperately."

"Well come in," Cory took her wrist, pulling her into the room. She looked over at Gina, "You guys go ahead. I'll come to Gram's when I'm done."

"Fine, fine," Regina said.

"Do you want us to take your bags?" Joe asked.

"No, I'll get them," Cory said.

"Sorry to interrupt," Taylor apologized to the couple.

"Don't sweat it," Joe said. "We didn't have any real plans."

Taylor smiled appreciatively while Regina waited impatiently at the door. Once they were gone, Cory turned to the young blonde, "So..how much time do we have?"

"About..." Taylor looked at her watch. "40 minutes. Is that enough time?"

Cory smiled, "More than enough."

-----------------------------------

Savannah smiled as she lay in bed, looking over at the picture on the nightstand. She could still remember the day she met him. She was sitting by herself in the restaurant and he came over to talk to her. He told her someone as pretty as her should never have to eat alone. He left his friends to come sit with her. He'd noticed her. He'd wanted her. She knew from that first time she looked into his eyes that she wanted to hold on to him and never let him go. He treated her like a princess from that day forward. She'd never met anyone more attentive and caring. Then, he had to go back to work and everything changed. He didn't have as much time for her. He didn't call her every day. She saw him once a week, if that. She had the password to his voicemail and when she checked it, there were messages from women. Women she didn't know. Women who wanted to take him away from her. She hated them and she was starting to hate him. But then when he came home, all the anger went away. He would put his arms around her and she felt good again. Whole again. But she still couldn't trust those women. They claimed to be his friends but she didn't believe that. They loved him. But no one could love him the way she did. She wanted to make sure he knew that. She did so many things for him. She did everything she could to make him see but it didn't work..He still left her. He didn't appreciate her or all the hard work she put in to keep them together...He would be sorry. When he left her, her entire world crumbled around her and now...she had the chance to make him feel the same pain.

-----------------------------------

"Okay, now you don't really need much mascara because your eyelashes are damn near perfect," Cory said, applying a tiny bit to Taylor's outer lashes.

Taylor looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Either Cory was a miracle worker or Taylor was prettier than she thought. In 25 minutes, Cory had curled her hair and done her makeup, and most of the time was taken up with Taylor's thick hair and Cory giving tips to a clueless Taylor.

"What do you think?" Cory asked.

"I love it," Taylor nodded. "How did you do it so fast?"

"You're gorgeous, it didn't take much work," Cory smiled, running her hands through Taylor's hair one final time to loosen up the curls. "When was the last time you put makeup on?"

"When I was like 16," Taylor shrugged. "I was never very good at it. I wanted to be but..."

Taylor trailed off, not wanting to explain that she didn't have her mother there to help her and with no one else to show her, she just never really tried.

Cory stepped back to admire her work, "Well you'll be good at it now my dear."

Taylor laughed a little.

"In fact," Cory gathered up the makeup she'd used. "You can have this."

Taylor stared, a little confused, "What?"

"The makeup, you can have it," Cory said, pulling her own hair up into a bun.

Taylor shook her head, "I can't do that..You said some of those were your favorite colors."

"And I always keep two of my favorites," Cory smirked, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Besides, that lipgloss doesn't look good on me since I dyed my hair. Seriously, take them."

Taylor shook her head, smiling. She wasn't surprised at Cory's kindness, she had gotten to know her well enough to see that she was a generous person but sometimes she just didn't know how to handle things like this. Not knowing what else to do, she walked over to Cory and gave her a quick hug, "Thank you."

"Anytime," Cory hugged her back. "Now we just need to get you dressed."

Both women stood, looking into the mirror.

"Well," Taylor took a deep breath, her nerves returning. She really wanted to look good for this date. "I know I wanna wear these jeans. They're the only ones I have that fit perfectly."

"Okay then, let's just get you a top," Cory said, she turned to her open suitcase and started rifling through it.

Taylor winced, turning around, "Are you sure it's gonna fit?"

Cory gave her a confused look and then Taylor looked down at her chest and back at Cory. She wasn't flat chested but Cory was..significantly larger in that department.

"You're right," Cory laughed. "I have an idea." She picked up her cell phone and quickly dialed number. "Hey...I need a small favor...yeah, bring me a shirt that'll look amazing on a blonde...Yeah, now would be good...Thanks, see ya in a minute."

"Who was that?" Taylor asked as Cory ended the call.

"Viveca," Cory answered. "Her boobs are smaller than mine."

-----------------------------------

_1 Hour Later..._

Chris couldn't stop staring at Taylor as she laughed, telling him about a time that she and Viveca got into a fender bender and Viveca hit the other driver with her purse. As far as he was concerned, she always looked great but there was a little extra something about her tonight and he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Chris, you're staring at me again," she laughed, putting her fork down.

"I cant help it," he said. "You look amazing."

"I'm gonna have to call Cory when we get back to the hotel and tell her she's my new best friend," Taylor laughed. When she realized what she said, her eyes went wide and she put a hand over her mouth.

"Cory?" Chris raised a brow.

Taylor rubbed her forehead, near her temple. She always did that when she was embarrassed.

"I kind of..." she smiled sheepishly. "I asked Cory to help me get ready tonight."

Chris smirked, not saying anything.

"Don't look at me like that," she shielded her eyes.

Chris was touched that she would put so much effort into their date but he didn't say anything because she would probably just tell him to shut up.

"And this is Viveca's shirt," Taylor admitted, looking down at the white ruffled shirt she wore.

"It looks great on you," he said.

"You think so?" she smiled.

"You look amazing," he nodded.

A flush crept up her cheeks and she pushed her food around with her fork.

"You know, when you look the best?" he asked, putting his hand over hers.

"Are you gonna say something cheesy?" she smirked.

"Yes I am," he nodded. "You're always pretty but when you're relaxed and laughing...it's incredible."

She smiled, obviously touched by his words, "Well, if there's anyone who can put me at ease...it's you."

-----------------------------------

"Seriously, how much do you have in here?" John asked as he and Cory pulled her bags out to her rental car.

"Oh come on, you can lift a 500 pound man on your shoulders but you're gonna whine about a couple bags?" she smirked.

"It feels like there's a 500 pound man in these things," he said

"I knew I should've called someone else to help me," she shook her head, dropping the two she was carrying when they reached the car. She popped the trunk.

"You wouldn't have done that," he smirked, loading the bags. "You obviously couldn't wait until tomorrow to see me."

She made a face at him, "You have gotta stop with this little ego trip you're on."

"I just like messin' with you," he smirked, closing the trunk when he finished. "So you helped Taylor get ready for her date, huh?"

Cory nodded, smiling proudly, "How'd you know?"

"I saw her in the hallway," he said. "You did good."

"Thank you," she smiled. "It was so cute, she was so excited."

"Yeah, it's about time she and Chris went on a real date," John smirked.

"You know, everyone seems convinced that that's gonna happen with us someday," she smirked, leaning against the trunk.

He moved to stand next to her, sticking his hands in his pocket, "I'll never understand that. We're barely friends."

"I know," she laughed. "I mean you're cute and all but-"

"Cute?" he asked. "I am more than cute."

"Are you?" she smirked.

"I've seen the way you look at me when my shirt's off," he smiled.

"Whatever, I've seen you staring at my ass," she said.

"You have a nice ass," he shrugged. "A _very_ nice ass."

"And you look good with your shirt off," she shrugged.

"I'm sure you do too," he smirked.

"You'll never know," she smiled.

"I didn't say I wanted to," he said, although he knew that he did.

"You do," she smirked. "I can tell."

"Oh really?" he asked. "And how can you tell?"

She smiled, biting her bottom lip and John realized that they'd moved a little closer to each other. He wasn't sure where this conversation was going but it was already beginning to have an effect on him. He chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't had sex in a while.

"I just can," she smirked. "It's the way you look at me sometimes."

"And how do I look at you?" he moved to stand in front of her.

She stood on her toes so that their faces were close to each other, "Like you wanna jump me."

Truer words were never spoken. At that very moment, he did want to jump her. And from the way she was acting, she wanted the same thing. He looked down at her body and was glad his hands were in his pockets. If he took them out, they were going to be all over her.

_What the hell is going on?_

"What are we doing?" she asked, as if she'd read his mind.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm pretty sure you started it."

"We're probably just horny or something," she said.

"I am," John admitted, looking down at her again.

"Me too," she nodded. "But not because it's you...I just haven't had sex lately."

"Me neither," he said.

"I don't wanna have sex with you," she said, though he could see in her eyes she wasn't completely convinced.

"I don't wanna have sex with you either," he lied.

John couldn't handle it anymore. He put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her close, kissing her. She made a squeaking noise at first but it wasn't long before she was kissing him back. Their tongues tangled and John's hands clenched in her hair, hers grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. Then, as quickly as it began, it was over. They both pulled away. It was cold out and he could see just how hard they were both breathing.

"I have to go," she said, picking up her keys she'd deposited on top of the trunk.

"That's probably best," he nodded.

"I'll uh..see you tomorrow," she said, walking away from his as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, see you later."

-----------------------------------

"That was fun," Taylor smiled as Chris walked her to her door.

Chris looked down at her, smiling. They'd stayed in the restaurant until closing time and he was reluctant to end the date.

"It was fun," Chris said. "I think I might be willing to call it the best date ever."

"The best date ever?" Taylor smirked. "Somehow I doubt that."

"It was with you," Chris said. "What's better than that?"

"Wow, you are just full of those cheesy lines tonight, aren't you?" she smirked.

He nodded, "You know you like 'em."

"I do," she laughed. "They're entertaining."

"I try," he smiled. They stopped when they reached her door and he noticed her smile fade a little, "What's wrong?"

She looked down at her feet and then back up at him. She took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair, "Chris..I never make it past a first date...and this was..you..I don't know."

She shook her head and Chris smiled, knowing what was bothering her. He tilted her chin up with his hand and leaned down, taking her lips with hers. To his surprise, she didn't pull away. She was timid, just barely parting her lips. He ran his hand gently down the side of her face, enjoying the way her full lips felt against his. He pulled away after a few seconds, knowing that he had to take things slowly with Taylor. She trusted him and he didn't want anything to change that.

"Believe me," he smiled. "We'll make it to the second date."

She smiled, opening her door, "Goodnight Chris."

"Goodnight."


	28. Chapter 28

**As always, I must thank you, my peeps, for your reviews...I appreciate them more than you know, they really do help me write. I got hurt a couple days ago - I bruised a bone in my hand, and then Friday morning I had a little incident with some glass and had to get a couple stitches...It's been a crap week. So between the injuries, work, and planning an elaborate birthday extravaganza for my nephew...I don't know how much writing I'm gonna get done in the next week or so...I've got a good chunk of ch. 29 done though so if you're all nice, I may finish it and post it before the party planning gets in full swing...As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review! **

**Chapter 28...**

Joe walked into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his stomach. He was pretty sure that could be considered a talent but he'd have to ask someone else later and get an unbiased opinion. He looked around for Regina, wondering if she was back from her run yet. She ran for at least 30 minutes every morning, especially at her grandmother's estate because there were so many hills and paths on the grounds.

He spotted her walking around, drinking a bottle of water. She looked amazing, still a little sweaty in her shorts and sports bra, her hair in a ponytail and best of all, she wasn't wearing any makeup. She would probably slap him for thinking it but he'd always believed she looked better without it. She stopped drinking when she spotted him.

"Good morning beautiful," he smiled.

She sat down on a stool at the marble island in the center of the room, resting a chin on her hand. Her brow furrowed...well as much as it could manage, and he knew something was wrong. He walked over and stood beside her, moving a damp blonde curl away from her forehead, "What's wrong?"

"I don't like him Joseph," Regina frowned.

"You don't like who?"

"This.._John_ guy," Regina shook her head.

"Cory's boyfriend?" he laughed a little. "You don't like him?"

"This is serious Joseph," she gave him a look.

"Regina, you don't know him enough to say you don't like him," he laughed. "Besides, he seems like a good guy to me."

"If I don't know him enough to say I don't like him, how do you know him enough to say he's a good guy?" she asked.

He sighed, knowing there was no point in debating with her. She made her judgments very quickly and once they were done, they were done.

"_Why_ don't you like him?" Joe asked.

"He's so..._blue collar_," she made a face.

"And blue collar is a bad thing?" he asked, not bothering to mention that he was no stranger to manual labor.

"For Cory, it is," Regina said.

"She seems happy to me," Joe shrugged. He'd taken Cory on as a little sister from the day he met her and if she was happy, so was he.

"Of course she does," Regina said. "He's attractive and kind of _rugged_. That's fine for a temporary thing but..."

"But what?"

"How is she ever going to get out of this _phase_ with people like him around her?" she asked.

Joseph sighed, feeling a headache coming on. Cory obviously loved her life and what she did for a living. She was perfectly comfortable with who she was but if Regina and Adelle had their way, she would be a completely different person. She would be just like them.

"She is _not_ going through a phase," Joseph said.

"Oh come on, how long could she really enjoy living like this?" Regina asked. "Barely spending anytime at home, working with such an.._odd_ group of people. I mean honestly, getting _beat_ _up_ for a living can't keep her interest forever."

"She loves it," Joe shrugged.

"She's 23..it's time to find something else," Regina said. "And being with a guy like that is not going to help her."

-----------------------------------

"You kissed John?"

Cory winced at the words, rubbing her forehead. She was pacing back and forth in her room at her grandmother's house, debating whether or not to go downstairs. She needed to talk to someone about the events of the night before and the only suitable person she could think of was Taylor.

"Please keep in mind that I'm confiding in you because you're the only person who wont laugh at me or harass me about this," she said. "Right?"

"Right," Taylor said calmly. "Though I have to tell you, I do find it interesting."

"Interesting? Why interesting?" Cory asked.

"Well, you two adamantly deny liking each other but you keep ending up in these situations," Taylor said. "I don't mean to sound like everyone else you talk to about this but maybe there really is something to it, you know?"

Cory frowned, not wanting there to be anything to it. She didn't want to like John. She didn't want to be attracted to John.

"I don't know," she sighed, sitting at the foot of her bed. "How am I supposed to know?"

"I don't think it's that difficult," Taylor laughed. "At least it shouldn't be for you. You've given me some pretty great advice. I'm sure you know how to figure out whether or not you like someone."

"It's difficult...trust me," Cory insisted. "When you've disliked someone as much as I used to dislike John and when someone drives you as crazy as he does..it's hard coming to terms with the fact that you _may_ _possibly_...like him."

"Yeah but..did you ever _really_ dislike John?" Taylor asked. "I mean, yeah you had little tiffs but I've seen you two get along wonderfully."

"Rarely," Cory pointed out.

"Yeah but you've convinced yourself that you just _hate_ him," Taylor said. "And it seems pretty obvious to me that you don't."

Cory chewed on her thumbnail, looking out the window as one of the groundskeepers trimmed a hedge. Taylor did have a point.

"Maybe I don't _hate_ him," Cory said. "Hate is a very harsh word."

"Yes it is," she laughed. "Okay so we've established that you don't hate the man. That's a start."

"And you're right...we do get along really well sometimes," Cory said. "You know, when we're not insulting each other."

Taylor laughed.

"Like the first time we met Jessie's boyfriend," Cory laughed. "We went to McDonald's once we left his house and for whatever reason decided to get Happy Meals. Mine had a Barbie in it and his had a race car and we kept standing Barbie up and trying to see how fast the car needed to go to knock Barbie off the table."

She laughed, remembering how the staff working in McDonald's stared at them as if they'd lost their minds.

"That's cute," Taylor said. "In a slightly psychotic way."

"Thanks," Cory laughed, laying back and looking up at the painted ceiling. Though she hated to admit it, there were times when she really enjoyed John's company.

"So you have fun with him, that's good," Taylor said. "Anything else you like about him?"

"He's always there for me if I need him," she said. "When I had my surgery he was right there...and even now, with this _stupid_ situation with my sister...he's helping me out..And you've met my sister, you know what a task that is."

"She is..interesting," Taylor tried to be diplomatic.

Cory suddenly had the strangest feeling. It was like a mix of clarity and terror...Definitely more terror.

"Oh my God..." she sat up, staring at herself in the mirror on the wall across the room.

_I Like John..._

"What?" Taylor asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head quickly. Hearing the words in her head was terrifying enough, she certainly wasn't about to say them out loud.

"I don't wanna talk about me and John anymore," she shook her head. "Tell me about your date..."

-----------------------------------

"Hold the elevator!"

Glenn looked up, pressing the open door button when he heard the female voice. After a few seconds, a breathless brunette rushed in.

"You didn't have to run," he laughed a little, allowing the doors to close.

"I wasn't sure you'd hold it," she smiled sheepishly. Glenn tried to remember where he'd seen her before. She was pretty, average height, with long brown hair held away from her face with a white silk headband. She wore a loose white sweater and a pair of black pants that fit her perfectly. He noticed that she was leaning pretty heavily on the side of the elevator, "Are you okay?"

"I think I tweaked my ankle," she said. "Ferragamo pumps weren't exactly made for running."

"They don't look like it," he laughed, looking down at her black heels. His gaze drifted back up to her face and tried to place it. He could swear he'd seen her before. Recently.

"You're Glenn Jacobs, right?" she asked.

He smiled, nodding, "That would be me."

"Jacinda Bernahl," she extended her hand. "We're going to be working together soon."

"We are?" Glenn asked, pleasantly surprised.

"Well, not _directly_," she laughed. "Cory Samms just hired me to be her assistant this morning."

"Were you at the arena yesterday?" Glenn asked.

She nodded, "I think we may have seen each other in passing."

"Thank God, I knew I recognized you from somewhere," he laughed. "It was gonna drive me crazy."

"Should I be offended that it took you so long?" she smirked.

"I recognized you right away, I just didn't know where from," he insisted.

"Well at least I made some sort of impression," she laughed as they reached the first floor.

"You did," he nodded, gesturing for her to go first. They both walked toward the lobby in comfortable silence and he wondered where she was going. He'd almost forgotten that he was on his way somewhere.

"Did Cory invite you to her dinner party tonight?" Glenn asked.

_Nice move Glenn, what if she didn't?_

Jacinda nodded and he breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up at him, a smile spreading across her face, "You're going, right?"

He nodded.

"Well...she mentioned that the estate is pretty hard to find," Jacinda said. "I know we don't know each other but...I'm afraid to get lost alone..."

"You wanna ride with me?" he smirked.

"I completely understand if you don't want some strange woman in your car," she laughed.

He laughed, "You obviously don't know me very well...I like strange women."

-----------------------------------

_A few hours later..._

"_Damn_," John looked up at Cory's grandmother's sprawling estate. It was, quite possibly, the biggest house he'd ever seen.

"_Wow_," Hunter agreed.

Jessica laughed, walking up behind them, "Come on boys, close your mouths before you let the flies in."

John was glad they all rode together because there was no way he would have found the secluded estate without her help. It was private, that was for damn sure.

They walked up a set of steps to a large set of wooden double doors and Jessica pulled one of them open, gesturing for them to go ahead of her. They walked in and John felt like he was looking into one of those Home & Garden magazines his mother loved so much.

"Cory!" Jessica called.

"I think you might need to call her on the phone or something," Hunter said. "This place is like a small town."

"I guess I could just use the intercom," Jessica laughed.

"The intercom?" Hunter laughed.

Jessica pressed a small button on the wall and spoke into the speaker next to it, "Cory?"

"Bout time you got here," came Cory's reply. "I'm in the main kitchen."

"The main kitchen?" John smirked.

"There's a main chef's kitchen and then there's a smaller one further back in the house," Jessica explained. "When we were younger, Cory said they only used to second one for making little snacks and stuff."

The men followed Jessica's lead, walking further into the house. John could tell they were getting close when the smell of home cooked food wafted up to his nose. It wasn't a scent he was able to enjoy very often. They must have had an amazing cook because the food smelled incredible. His mouth was watering and from the look on Hunter's face, he was experiencing the same thing.

"Whoever is cooking in there is the person I will marry," John declared.

"What if it's a guy?" Jessica smirked.

"Then I can only hope it'll be legal soon," John said.

When they got to the kitchen, he was surprised to see Cory rushing around in a pink apron.

"Hey," she smiled when she spotted them before pulling a pan of muffins out of the oven and setting them down on island with quite a few other dishes.

"Is it time to eat yet?" Hunter leaned over the muffins, wafting their scent toward himself.

Cory took off her oven mitt, smacking him on the hand, "Not yet."

"You cook?" John raised a brow at her.

"Surprised?" she smirked.

"Shocked is more like it," he laughed.

"She's a great cook," Hunter said, leaning over the muffins again.

"Stop it," she pushed him away again. "Jessie, control him please."  
"Come on hamburglar," Jessica pulled the back of Hunter's shirt. "Back away from the baked goods."

"You didn't make something for those of us nice enough to show up early and help you set up?" Hunter smiled.

"There's some leftover garlic shrimp in the fridge from when Gina and I made crostini this morning, you can have some if you want," she offered.

"Have I told you lately that you're wonderful?" Hunter took Cory's head in his hands, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Get away from me weirdo," she laughed, pushing him away.

"So what's on the menu for tonight?" Jessica asked, laughing as Hunter searched the refrigerator for the aforementioned shrimp.

"Well, for appetizers I made salmon spring rolls, chicken & veggie spring rolls, and toasted ravioli," Cory pointed to three trays on the counter. "Then there'll be Greek Lemon Chicken Soup to start off the meal, candied ginger sweet potatoes, and chicken salad with grapefruit and pistachios. And I couldn't decide chicken or beef for the meat so we're having Balsamic Marinated Steaks with Gorgonzola and Tomato topping and Moroccan Lemon Chicken."

"Any dessert?" Jessica asked.

"Passion fruit and White Chocolate Muffins, Banana Caramel Chocolate Won Tons, and everyone gets a cookies and cream shot."

John's thought he was going to start drooling by the time Cory finished.

"There's a lot of muffins," Hunter said, eating one of his shrimp. "Looks like you could spare one."

Cory rolled her eyes, "Jessica..get him out of here."

"Come on," Jessica laughed, picking up Hunter's bowl of shrimp. "Let's go see if we can get ourselves into some trouble."

"Call us if you need us," Hunter said following Jessica, or his shrimp, out of the kitchen.

Cory checked on something in the oven and John admired the view as she bent over. It was official, she was the perfect woman on paper. She had a great ass and she could cook like nobody's business.

She stood up straight, turning to face him, "You don't wanna go on the tour?"

"I'm still recovering from finding out that you can cook," he smirked, sitting down on a stool.

"Why are you so surprised?" she asked.

"It's not every day you find a girl worth a billion dollars who can cook," he said.

"I am not worth a billion dollars," she laughed. "Dork."

"She's not...it's more like 20 million."

John turned to see Regina walk in with Joseph behind her carrying about 8 bags in each hand.

John smiled, waving at both of them.

"Hey," Joe put the bags down, shaking John's hand and then going over and giving Cory a quick kiss on the cheek.

Regina didn't look nearly as happy to see them. Actually she just didn't look happy to see John. This dinner was going to be interesting to say the least.

"Please tell me these are passion fruit and white chocolate," Joseph stared at the muffin tin.

"You can have one but don't tell anybody," Cory laughed. "And they're hot."

"Has she made one of these for you yet?" Joe asked, grabbing a paper towel and a muffin.

"Not yet," John shook his head.

Joe gave her a surprised look.

Cory rolled her eyes and broke off a piece of the muffin in Joe's hand. She walked over to John and held it out for him. He could tell Regina was watching them and purely for his own amusement, he opened his mouth.

Cory looked confused for a second and then laughed, putting the piece of muffin in his mouth.

She raised a brow at him, waiting for a response.

John wasn't able to give her one yet because he was embroiled in one of the most pleasurable experiences of his entire life.

"Well?" Cory waited.

"If I paid you, would you make me a batch of these everyday?" he asked.

"Depends on how much you're willing to pay," Cory laughed, patting him on the shoulder before walking over to check on something in a pot on the stove.

John got up, walking behind her, "How can I help?"

"Umm..." Cory tapped her chin, looking around for something for him to do.

"Do you have much experience with gourmet cooking John?" Regina asked in a condescending tone.

John smiled at her, "Not at all, but I can make a mean box of mac and cheese."

Joe laughed but Regina seemed less than amused.

"Tough room," John shrugged, turning to Cory who looked very apprehensive all of a sudden. "Got anything for me boss?"

"Could you get the tray of ravioli out of the oven and put them on one of those black platters?" she asked.

John gave her a salute before picking up an oven mitt and walking over to the oven.

"So I see we've decided on very casual attire for the party," Regina said, giving John a scrutinizing gaze.

"Don't start Gina, I'm dressed like this because I've been cooking all day," Cory said, looking for something in the refrigerator.

"I think she was referring to me babe," John said. He gave Regina an apologetic smile, "I don't have much use for a suit and tie so I don't usually pack them when I go on the road."

"Ah," Regina nodded. "Makes sense, when you're not involved in business, business attire isn't really necessary."

John kept the smile on his face and bit back a comment. He knew she wasn't really fond of him but she wasn't bothering to hide it at all. He looked over at Cory whose big blue eyes looked more nervous by the second and reminded himself that he was doing this to help her out.

"I had planned on jeans and a t-shirt too babe," Joe put a hand on Regina's shoulder. "I mean, it's a dinner party with Cory and her friends, not a gala at the white house. Relax."

"I'm perfectly relaxed dear," Regina insisted. "So John...did you bother with college or just jump straight into wrestling?"

Cory started rummaging through a drawer and John smiled at Regina once again, "I have a degree in exercise physiology."

Cory pulled a key out of the drawer and unlocked a cabinet beneath it, pulling out a bottle of Jack Daniels.

"That's...interesting," Regina nodded.

Cory poured herself a shot and downed it quickly.

"Cory majored in sociology and minored in finance," Regina smiled proudly.

"I know," John nodded. "She's a very smart girl."

"She can be," Regina shrugged. John felt his jaw tense a little. He was fine with Regina's veiled insults being thrown at him, he'd prepared himself for that but he didn't wanna hear Cory's sister insulting her. He chose to ignore it, knowing that saying something would probably just make things worse.

"You know, I didn't really do anything with fresh fruit," Cory said, looking into the refrigerator. She pulled a couple of bags of fruit out and placed them on the island. "Maybe I should do a fruit salad. What does everyone think?"

"I think there's plenty of food," John said, noting her refusal to look up from what she was doing. Well, he finally knew what made Cory tick...Regina.

"I could make a champagne infused strawberry soup," Cory said, cutting the tops off of some strawberries. "I haven't done that in a while."

"Not everyone likes such light deserts Cory," Regina said. "Maybe we should go pick up some cartons of ice cream or popsicles or something."

"I wonder if we have any champagne," Cory went back to the cabinet she got the whiskey from. Instead of looking, she poured herself another shot.

"Regina, why don't we go get changed, hmm?" Joe suggested, giving John an apologetic look.

"Do you need my help sweetheart?" Regina asked Cory.

Cory turned around with a mouth full of whiskey and shook her head, trying for a smile. She swallowed the shot and then turned around to close the bottle.

"Alright then, we'll be down once I decide what to wear," Regina smiled.

"Take your time," John smiled, earning himself another disapproving look before the couple left the room. Cory was back at the island, cutting more strawberries. She was wearing a tank top and he could see that all of her muscles were tense.

"I didn't see any champagne," she said. "So I think I'm just gonna do some chopped fruit with a honey glaze."

John smirked, "Let me guess...you cook when you get nervous?"

She downed a shot that she'd brought over with her and then looked up at him, "How'd you guess?"

"Well between the drinking and the excessive amount of food you've made for this dinner party, I figured either you cook when you're nervous or you invited the entire city to dinner."

"I would understand if you just left," Cory said. "You've helped me enough already. We could just make up some family emergency or something and you could bail."

"And why would I do that?" he asked, leaning against the counter next to her.

She rested her hands on the counter and looked up at him. It was rare that they had sincere moments but he had a feeling this was going to be one. He wasn't used to seeing her look so nervous. It made him feel strangely..protective.

"You want me to leave you to be ridiculed by your sister?" he asked.

"I have to put up with her, she's family," she said. "You on the other hand have more than fulfilled your duty. I wouldn't let her try and break my balls all night if I were you."

"Well you're not me," he said. "And I will have you know...She wont be able to break them...because my balls are made of steel."

Cory burst into laughter, almost hitting her head on the counter. She looked up at him, still laughing, "Balls of steel?"

He smirked, "Got you to smile, didn't it?"

-----------------------------------

Randy kept his eyes on the road though Portia sitting next to him proved to be very distracting.

He was trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to say to her but he'd become inarticulate in the last few days. Every time he tried to tell her that...well that he was starting to like her as more than just a friend and former partner in crime...he slipped up, got nervous, and started talking about everything but how he felt. He really wasn't one to put himself out there. He was much more accustomed to women telling him how they felt first. He was starting to get impatient with Portia though, she wasn't exactly forthcoming.

"You'll never guess what Cory said to me the other day," he smirked, stealing a glance at her.

"What?" Portia asked.

"Well...she seems to be under the impression that I like you," he said. "I mean _like you_ like you."

"What?" Portia looked confused.

_She didn't burst into laughter...Always a good sign.._

"She was asking me if she should be offended that I got over her so quickly," Randy said. "And then she said that she thinks that I'm interested in you."

Portia smirked, shaking her head.

_She still hasn't called the idea absurd...this may just go well..._

They were quiet for a few seconds. When they reached a red light Portia giggled a little, "You know, Cory and I are friends now but sometimes I still think that girl must be crazy."

Randy's hands gripped the wheel a little tighter but he kept a relaxed look on his face, "Yeah she is a little off sometimes.."

"There could never be anything between us," Portia shook her head.

"I know," Randy agreed emphatically, forcing a laugh. He wasn't hurt. He was fine. A little surprised but it was no big deal.

"You know...because we're friends I'm gonna tell you something but you cant tell anyone else," Portia said.

_Oh great..._

"What?"

"Well...like I said, Cory and I are friends now and I regret the way I treated her before," Portia began. "But there's a part of me that still hopes that she and John don't get together."

"That would definitely put you in the minority around here," Randy shook his head.

"I cant help it," Portia said. "Call me dumb but..I'm still kind of holding out hope that maybe John and I will get back together."

Randy sighed, flipping on his turn signal, "Good luck with that."

-----------------------------------


	29. Chapter 29

**Well...due to some family drama, the party has been cancelled and I'm very upset about it. But hey, it means I have a little more time for writing I suppose...Which is good because typically summer means more time with the boyfriend, less time at the keyboard...That shouldn't kick in for a couple weeks though...Anyway...Here's the next chapter, as always Read, Enjoy, and keep the wonderful reviews coming peeps, you're the best!**

**Chapter 29...**

Taylor rushed out of the bathroom, holding her towel tightly around herself, looking for her cell phone. She could hear it ringing but she didn't see it anywhere. As she moved closer to the bed, she saw a blinking light under the sheets and she sat down, pulling it out, "Hello?"

"Get dressed beautiful, we're going out tonight," she heard Chris's voice.

She laughed, "I know we are. We're already late for Cory's dinner."

"We're not going," Chris said. "I have a different plan. A plan that involves miniature golf."

"Mini-golf?" she smirked. "And what about the dinner party?"

"I've already talked to Cory," Chris said. "She understands that our second date is more important."

"Is that what this is?" she laughed.

"Absolutely," he said.

"I'm not really familiar with these things," she said. "Are they always the very next night?"

She could practically hear Chris's charming little grin, "Only if the man is _very_ interested."

"Well I certainly hope he is," she laughed.

"Trust me...he is," Chris confirmed. "Now get ready."

-----------------------------------

"Dawnie, I'm not gonna have any of these left if you keep going like this," Cory returned to her best friend and her sister carrying a tray of toasted ravioli.

"They're good," Dawn shrugged, picking up another one as Cory sat the tray down.

"Obviously," Cory laughed.

"Where's Regina?" Jessica looked around the sitting room where everyone was waiting for the food to be ready.

"Talking to Randy," Cory nodded toward them. "Which, I must say, is _incredibly_ frightening for some reason."

"So what does she think of John?" Dawn asked, picking up another piece of ravioli.

"She doesn't think much of him," Cory sighed. "I think I need a shot, anyone else?"

"Not me," Dawn shook her head.

"I don't need one and neither do you," Jessica put an arm around her shoulders. "I swear, no one can turn you into a mess the way Regina can."

"I am not a mess," Cory defended herself.

Both women gave her a look.

"Okay maybe a little," Cory shrugged. "Can we talk about something other than my being a mess, please?"

"Those two are getting along well," Jessica smirked, looking over at one of the couches where Glenn and Jacinda were sitting very closely and talking.

"They've been attached at the hip since they got here," Cory said.

"Really?" Dawn looked surprised.

Cory nodded, "They showed up at the same time. I don't know if they rode together but I think so."

"This is kind of weird," Dawn laughed as she watched them. "It's been a long time since I've seen Glenn interested in someone."

"I think it's cute," Cory said.

"Me too," Dawn added.

"It is," Jessica said. "It's about time Glenn got some."

"Let's not assume he's gonna get some," Cory laughed. "It's probably just innocent flirting."

Just then, Jacinda laughed loudly at something Glenn said and placed her hand on his leg.

Cory laughed, "Or maybe he is gonna get some."

-----------------------------------

15 Minutes Later...

"If the appetizers were any indication, this dinner is gonna be great," Randy said, taking his seat at the table.

"That's very sweet," Regina smiled at him. "I'm sure Cory's glad you're enjoying yourself."

John rolled his eyes. Regina had been in Randy's face all night smiling and telling him how great he was, as if he needed to hear that from someone else. She was obviously campaigning for him to be next in line for her sister. And Randy didn't seem to be objecting.

"Aren't you supposed to be flirting with Portia?" John whispered to his friend. "I thought you were going after her."

"That didn't work out too well," Randy shrugged.

John gave him a look.

"Relax, I'm not trying to take Cory away from you," Randy smirked.

"You wouldn't be taking-"

"Okay everyone, here's the first course," Cory came out carrying a large tray that carried quite a few small bowls of soup.

She put a bowl in front of Hunter, then Jessica.

"Let me help," Randy got up, walking over to her and grabbing two bowls.

"Thanks Randy," she smiled.

"No problem," he gave her a little smirk before putting bowls in front of Joe and Regina. John wasn't sure what was up with the kiss ass act Randy was putting on but he didn't like it at all.

"What a gentleman," Regina smiled.

"It's nothing, really," Randy insisted.

John got up, walking over to Cory and guiding her back to her seat. She gave him a confused look and he smiled at her, "You've been in the kitchen all day. You sit. Let me and Randy handle this."

"Okay," she said, still looking puzzled. "Thanks."

"This smells amazing," Portia leaned over her bowl.

"It is amazing," Dawn piped up. She'd started eating the second her bowl was put down.

When they finished, John and Randy took their seats and John shot a glare at his friend.

"Sorry, I was just trying to be helpful," Randy whispered.

"Well back off a little," John said.

Randy nodded.

Everyone loved Cory's soup and made conversation as they ate, most of it having to do with Wrestlemania which was only weeks away.

John felt as if he was being watched and looked up to see Regina looking at him.

He smiled at her, waiting for her next insult.

"So John..What do you want to do when you're done wrestling?" she asked. "Do you want to get into business or would your _homies_ not like that?"

Cory got up quickly, "I think I forgot something in the kitchen."

She excused herself and John smiled at Regina, "I cant see myself in any other business...And quite a few of my _homies,_ as you put it, are at this table so if you wanna know what they think, feel free to ask them."

"What about when you grow older and out of shape?" Regina asks.

"I'll wrestle til I cant anymore," John shrugged.

Regina looked disapproving, "That's not a terribly healthy attitude."

"Quite a few people in this business share that same attitude Regina," Mark said in a tone that shut even Regina up. John was impressed.

Cory came back into the dining room looking a bit apprehensive.

"Come eat babe, your food's getting cold," he said, patting her chair. He gave her a reassuring smile and she breathed a sigh of relief, walking over and sitting beside him.

"Cory, did I tell you that mother signed with Bravo?" Regina asked.

Cory looked confused, "To do what exactly?"

"I'm sure she told you about the pitch," Regina said.

"Probably but I may not have been listening," Cory said. "What pitch?"

"They came to her with the idea of a reality show based around her agency, it's talent, and her and her private life," Regina explained. "It's going to be called The Management."

"Oh sweet Jesus," Cory shook her head. "Is that really necessary?"

"It sounds like a good thing," Portia said.

"You don't know my mother," Cory said. "She was bad enough now she's gonna have cameras following her..God help us all."

-----------------------------------

"I cant believe you got us in trouble," Taylor laughed as they walked toward the car. While attempting to get a hole in one, Chris hit the ball too hard and sent it through a window.

"It's not my fault they have weak building materials," Chris shrugged.

"Oh yeah, blame it on the building materials," she laughed.

"Well, where do you wanna eat?" Chris asked, taking her hand in his as they walked. "Now that I've vandalized some property."

"I don't know but we better figure it out soon because I'm starving," she laughed.

"So am I," he said.

"I saw a Burger King right before we got here," she shrugged. "We could go there."

"You wanna go to Burger King?" he smirked.

"It's close, it's fast, and I'm hungry," she explained.

"I like a woman who knows what she wants," he laughed as they reached the car. Taylor smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. She didn't have much time to enjoy it because her cell started ringing in her purse. She sighed, giving him an apologetic look before pulling it out and answering it, "Hello?"

"Is..is this Taylor?" came a shaky inquiry.

"Yes, who's this?" Taylor asked.

"This is Lorraine Johnson...Viveca's mother," she said, sniffing. "We talked before."

"Right, I remember," Taylor nodded. "Is everything alright ma'am?"

"Viveca gave me your number, she said to call you if I needed something," Lorraine explained.

Taylor wasn't aware of that but it didn't surprise her, "That's fine..what can I do for you?"

The older woman took a shaky breath and there was a long pause.

"My husband..he...he passed away today," Lorraine explained. "Most of the funeral arrangements were already made...The service is Wednesday morning..I..I need you to tell Viveca."

-----------------------------------

"Okay, who wants more wine?" Cory asked, walking back into the dining room with a new bottle. She laughed a little as a few hands went up around the table. One that wasn't raised caught her eye as well. "D, you haven't had any all night. You _love_ wine."

Dawn's expression could almost be described as nervous as she looked up from her plate. She forced a smile, "I know but...I'm just not in the mood for any tonight."

"You sure?" Cory asked.

Dawn nodded quickly before turning her attention back to her food. Something was definitely wrong but Cory would ask her about it once dinner was over and they could have a little privacy. She started making her way around the table, pouring wine for Hunter, Jessica, Jacinda, and Glenn. She set it down on the table when she was done and made her way back to her seat beside John. It was strange, this dinner had been quite an emotional rollercoaster. When she was interacting with her friends, especially John, she was having a great time. But Regina would usually come in with some comment that would make her anxious and in need of a drink again. And most of her snarky comments were directed at John. Fortunately, dinner was nearly over. Dessert was ready to be brought out and she'd already made the cookies and cream shots.

"You okay?"

She was startled out of her thoughts by John.

She looked over at him and nodded, "Yeah I'm good."

"Good," he smiled. "You know, you did a great job with this dinner..I haven't had food this good in a _long_ time."

She had noticed that every plate put in front of him had disappeared in record time. She smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad everyone liked it."

John ate the last piece of his steak, closing his eyes as if he was in heaven, "Seriously...I'll pay you to cook for me again."

"I might be persuaded for the right price," she smirked.

He laughed, wiping his mouth off with a napkin.

"Listen, I have to thank you again for doing this for me," she said in a hushed tone. Everyone else was talking so she was pretty sure Regina wouldn't hear her. "I cant tell you how much I appreciate you not telling Gina what a bitch she is."

"I can handle her," John laughed. "People like her are fun to mess with. Besides, we're actually friends now, right?"

"I guess," she laughed. Impulsively, she kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks again."

He smiled at her, seemingly unsure of what to say.

"So," Regina interrupted the moment. She had that look in her eye.

_Here we go again..._

"Exercise Physiology," she tapped her finger on her chin. "Isn't that just a fancy way to say you read books on how to work out?"

That was it. Cory was done. She got up as calmly as she could manage and trained her eyes on her sister, "Regina, can I see you in the kitchen for a moment, please?"

She walked away, not bothering to wait for a response.

-----------------------------------

John watched as Cory walked away. Regina sighed, standing up and setting her napkin down beside her plate.

"Excuse us," she smiled at everyone before following her younger sibling.

John didn't know about everyone else but he was damn curious to hear what was about to go down. It was certainly going to be more interesting than awkward conversation at the dinner table while everyone waited for them to come back. He looked around but everyone else seemed to be content to stay at the table. He shrugged, standing up. If no one else had the balls to go eavesdrop, he was gonna have to do it himself.

-----------------------------------

Regina prepared herself for one of Cory's outbursts when they entered the kitchen. Her younger sister turned to face her, looking thoroughly irritated.

"Well..." Regina waited.

"What is your problem?" Cory asked.

"Dear, I don't have a problem," Regina said. "I'm just looking out for you."

"Looking out for me?" Cory asked. "By insulting John every chance you get."

"I'm not _insulting_ him...I'm just..pointing out his shortcomings," Regina shrugged.

"You don't even know him Gina," Cory shook her head. "How would you know his shortcomings? If anyone is qualified to discuss his shortcomings it's _me_..not you."

"You're not a teenager anymore Cory," Regina said. "You're at a point in your life where when you date someone, you need to consider whether or not they would fit into the family."

Cory stared at her as if she'd lost her mind, "_What_?"

"You need to consider if the men you date are marriage material now," Regina said. "And he is certainly not."

"Once again, you don't know him," Cory said defensively.

"Look around you Corinne," Regina gestured around them. "Think of where you come from...Think of our family...He would _not_ fit in."

"What about Joe?" Cory challenged. "He grew up bouncing around foster homes in Nebraska...He didn't grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth and you're marrying him, aren't you?"

Regina sighed, rolling her eyes, "Cory, Joseph is different."

"Different?" Cory stared. "They seemed to be getting along famously out there. I think he and John had a lot in common."

"Joseph is like a lump of clay," Regina said. "I am molding him into the man he needs to be. He's learning to be more ambitious, to use his talents to make more money and gain more respect and power than he ever would have without my guidance."

-----------------------------------

Cory shook her head, growing more frustrated with her sister by the second. She really didn't seem to realize the way she sounded...or she didn't care. It was more likely the latter.

"John is just so...content to be where he is," Regina shrugged, making a face.

"And what is wrong with where he is Gina?" Cory asked, feeling her face get hot. "He is intelligent and funny and _great_ at what he does. He is one of the hardest working people I have _ever_ met."

_Jesus Christ...am I talking about John Cena?_

"Sweetheart...you need someone who is going to..to direct you," Regina gave her an expression that was probably meant to be concerned and loving but just irritated Cory even more. "You need someone who will guide you the way I guide Joseph."

"Guide me to what?" Cory asked angrily. "Where the hell do I need to go?"

"Cory, you are dangerously close to having a fit," Regina sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Cory felt her eyes narrow. She hated being told how she was feeling and whenever they argued, Gina was always trying to keep her from having one of her so called fits.

"I am not having a fit," she argued. "I just don't understand why you have such a problem with John."

_I'm allowed to have a problem with him because I know him...Damn it._

"I didn't realize you were so in love," Regina shook her head.

Cory would have been less offended if she'd just been slapped across the face, "I am _not_ in love with that man."

"You're defending him like you are," Regina accused.

"I'm not! I don't appreciate you making judgments about him when you don't know him. That is _all_."

Regina rolled her eyes again.

"He's a nice guy Gina," Cory said. "He was there for me when I got hurt...He sat in my hospital room and watched TV with me all night long. He even went out and got me candy when I wanted it."

Cory laughed, remembering how John went out and bought her a bag of Sour Patch kids and some Twizzlers when she'd been at the hospital.

"That's sweet, really it is," Regina said. "But I still don't think he's right for you."

Cory rolled her eyes, wanting to yell at her sister. She found that thoroughly confusing because she didn't think John was right for her either. But she had different reasons. Good, valid reasons like the fact that he was a big jerk ass who drove her nuts 99.9999 percent of their time together. Regina didn't like him because he wasn't like her or their brothers...he wasn't a pompous ass in a business suit. At the thought of business suit, she felt her eyebrow shoot up and she glared at her sister.

"I get it...I get it now, I don't know why it didn't hit me before," she glared.

"What?"

"This is about you wanting me with someone who is going to direct me to be more like you..right?" Cory asked. "You don't like my career, you don't like my hair, my tattoos..you don't like _anything _about the way I live and you're afraid for me to be with him because he just might actually think I'm fine the way I am."

Regina sighed but didn't argue. Cory smiled bitterly, knowing she'd hit the nail on the head. This was all about her sister not accepting who she was.

"Well you know what Gina, John may be an asshole sometimes," Cory said. "He may _never_ say the right thing and he may _piss me off_ like _no one_ I have _ever_ met...but I would rather spend every single day with him than spend another minute dealing with you."

With that, Cory turned, walking to the sliding glass doors and yanking one open, walking outside to get some fresh air.

-----------------------------------

John stood a few feet away from the entrance to the kitchen, staring. He knew he was gonna see a hell of an argument but they'd managed to surprise him. Well..Cory had. She actually defended him to someone. He was fairly certain she'd never done that in the entire time they'd known each other. She actually called him a good person. Not an asshole or a jerk or...actually she had called him an asshole but still...she defended him to her sister.

"That was...intense."

He turned, seeing that Joe wasn't far behind him.

"You hear the whole thing?" John asked.

Joe nodded, "I apologize for the way Regina talked about you."

John shrugged, "I'm not too concerned with it to tell you the truth."

"I wouldn't be either," Joe said, his jaw looking a little tense. He was probably thinking about that 'lump of clay' thing Regina said about him. Now _that_ would probably have bothered John some.

"You guys need a minute?" John asked.

Joe nodded, "I don't think we'll be coming back to dinner...Tell everyone I said goodnight."

John nodded. Joe took a few steps then turned, looking at John again, "Look...Cory obviously cares about you a lot. And she's not trying to change you...You should hang on to her."

John nodded, not wanting to ruin the moment and clarify the situation. Now wasn't really the time. He was tempted to go after Cory but she seemed like she needed a few minutes to herself. Instead, as Joe went into the kitchen, John turned and walked back toward the dinner. When he got to the dining room, everyone was finishing up their dinner and talking.

"Guys," he sighed. "I think we're gonna have to wrap this up."

-----------------------------------

_20 Minutes Later..._

"Well that was..interesting," Jacinda said as she and Glenn walked to her door.

"Interesting is a word for it" he smiled back. He made a mental note to thank Cory a thousand times for hiring this woman. She was...perfect.

"I should probably go inside," she smiled. "I'm supposed to be up early in the morning...Cory has a busy day tomorrow."

"I wont keep you any longer," he smiled. "Thank you for the wonderful company."

She smiled, "Anytime."

"Goodnight," he offered a quick wave as she opened the door to her room.

She smiled over her shoulder at him, "Goodnight."

He turned, walking down the hall, telling himself not to turn back around and stare at her.

"Glenn?"

Surprised, he turned back around to see her leaning out her doorway, "I don't have to be up _that_ early...you wanna come in?"

He smiled, walking back toward her, "I'd love to."

-----------------------------------

"Are you sure you don't need me to stay and talk to Cory?" Dawn asked, concerned as she and John stood in the foyer. She was worried. Cory had come back into the house but she went upstairs without saying a word to anyone. Mark went up and tried to talk to her before he left but he said she wasn't in the mood. Dawn knew that she could get her friend to talk if she tried.

"D, you're not feeling well, you need to go get some rest," John gave her an easy smile, putting an arm around her shoulders. "I'll take care of Cory."

Dawn didn't really care that she wasn't feeling well at that very moment but she knew there wasn't any point in arguing. As much as Cory was like her little sister, John could be like a little brother sometimes and if he thought she needed to go rest, he wasn't about to let her go try to fix things with Cory.

"Tell her to call me later," she pointed at him, making sure he knew she meant business. "And if she doesn't, I'm calling you."

"I'll handle it," John smiled, gently guiding her to the door. "Come on, I'll walk you to the car."

"I can get to the car on my own," Dawn said. "Just go talk to Cory, please."

"You sure?" John asked.

Dawn nodded, she was still feeling a little nauseous but she could make it.

"Alright," John gave her a quick hug. "I'll see you tomorrow D."

Dawn walked out of the house, closing the heavy door behind her. She was surprised to see that her car wasn't the only one left in the circle drive.

"Need an escort to your car darlin'?"

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes when she heard the voice behind her.

"I thought you went back to the hotel," she said, listening as his footsteps approached.

"I thought about it...then I decided to wait for you."

She opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her, "Why?"

"Because I thought maybe if I cornered you, I could get you to talk to me," he said.

"About what?" she asked, deciding to play dumb.

"You know what," he gave her a look.

She looked down at her feet, seeing that her plan wasn't going to work.

"I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what's going on with you," he stepped closer to her. "You've had me worried outta my mind and you wont even tell _Cory_ what's wrong with you...I was thinking about it again this morning and I think I figured it out...I don't know why the hell it took me so long, maybe I'm losing brain cells in the ring or maybe I'm gettin' old, I don't know but...the throwing up..the looser clothes you've been wearing lately..turning down a glass of wine tonight...Darlin', are you-"

"No," she cut him off. She made sure to keep her voice calm and quiet even though inwardly, she was shaking like a leaf, "I'm not pregnant."

He gave her a skeptical look, "You sure about that Dawn?"

She shook her head, "I can see why you'd think so but..I'm not."

"But-"

"Mark, if I was I would tell you," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I thought I was at first...but I took a test and I'm not. It's just some sort of virus. It'll pass."

"Then why are you being so secretive?" Mark asked. "Why-"

"Mark," she put up a hand, knowing that if she didn't get away from him soon she was going to break down. She was starting to feel sick to her stomach and this time it wasn't because of the baby. She was lying to him and she hated it. "I just wanna go back to the hotel and lay down..Can we talk about this later?"

"I'd say yes but I don't believe you'll talk to me," Mark said, obviously frustrated. "What is going on?"

"Nothing," she said, seeing that she wasn't going to get much cooperation from him. If she was going to get away, she'd just have to leave, not wait for permission.

"But-"

"Goodnight Mark," she stopped him, turning and walking toward her car. She was grateful that she turned her back when she did as tears welled in her eyes, one spilling over and running down her cheeks. She quickly fished the keys to her rental out of her purse and practically ran to it, hoping he wasn't watching but knowing that he was. Once she was inside the car, she looked into the rear-view mirror, her heart breaking as she watched him sit down on the steps, looking almost as upset as she felt. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

-----------------------------------

John sighed, reaching for the doorknob. He'd stayed at the door to make sure Dawn got to the car okay and ended up overhearing she and Mark's entire conversation. He opened the door, seeing that Mark was still sitting on the steps, staring out at nothing in particular. They weren't exactly best friends forever but he and Mark had always gotten along well and he figured the other man could definitely use someone to talk to.

"Hey," he walked out, sitting beside him.

Mark continued staring off into space and John wasn't sure if he was being ignored or not. They sat in silence for a while longer and Mark sighed deeply, looking down at his hands.

"You know she loves you, right?" John asked.

This time Mark seemed to hear him. He looked over at him and shook his head, "I don't know anymore."

"She does, trust me," John insisted.

Mark shrugged, "Never in my life have I been so lost on what to do...I'm supposed to be the wise one. The one who tells you kids what to do with your lives."

"You're not 200 years old Mark," John laughed. "Even if you were, you're allowed to be confused. It happens to the best of us."

Mark rubbed his forehead, "You know something...I was kind of hoping...nevermind."

"Nah, what?" John encouraged him to continue.

Mark was quiet. His gaze drifted up to the night sky.

"You were hoping..." John gestured for him to go on.

Mark took a deep breath, "I was hoping that maybe she was pregnant...Last time..I messed everything up and a part of me thought that we were getting a second chance.."

John felt for his friend. He'd only been in love once...or at least he thought he was at the time. It was when he was in college and when things went wrong it tore him up. He realized in the end that they were better off apart but for Mark...Dawn was the one and he couldn't imagine what it felt like to think you were losing or had lost the one..

"Maybe you should tell her that," John suggested. "Tell her what you were hoping for."

"Wouldn't do any good," Mark shook his head. "She's not pregnant."

"So you shouldn't tell her how you feel just because she's not pregnant?" John asked. "If I know anything about women it's that they always wanna know what you're feeling."

"Dawn knows I love her," Mark said.

"Doesn't mean she doesn't need to hear you say it," John said. "You want her back..right?"

Mark looked thoughtful. John didn't realize that he was going to catch him off guard with that question.

After a long silence Mark nodded, "Yeah...I do."

"Well you're not gonna get her back without putting yourself out there," John shrugged.

"She doesn't want me back," Mark shook his head.

"You don't know that," John said. "You guys are that couple."

"What couple?" Mark asked.

"You know..that couple that's just _supposed_ to be together," John said. "Anything else would just be unnatural."

Mark looked over at him, "I highly doubt she sees it that way."

"You never know until you try," John shrugged. "You cant win a match without gettin' in the ring."

Mark sighed, "I guess I have a lot to think about..."

John nodded.

Mark looked over at him again but this time he didn't say anything.

"What?" John asked, feeling a little uneasy under the intimidating man's scrutinous gaze.

"When did you turn into Dr. Phil?" Mark smirked.

John laughed, shrugging, "I have my moments."

"Well I appreciate the talk," Mark stood up and John followed suit.

"Anytime," John shrugged. "Just don't tell anybody about this...I don't want everybody coming to me for advice now...I'll leave that to you."

Mark laughed, "This will stay between us."

"Good," John nodded.

"Now go check on Cory...she might be in need of some of that sage advice," Mark said.

"Or a punching bag," John laughed.

Mark nodded, "You're probably right. See ya later Cena."

"G'night man," John waved, walking toward the door.

-----------------------------------

Cory rested her chin in her hand, looking down at the marble beneath her elbow. She'd come down to clear away the dishes from dinner and once she was finished, she sat down at the island and downed a couple shots of vodka. She felt a little better but not much. She felt guilty for walking out on dinner the way she did but she couldn't help it. Regina had her fuming and though all of her friends were well aware of her temper, she didn't enjoy 'having a fit' as Gina would call it, in front of company. She heard footsteps coming toward the kitchen and she prayed for everyone's sake that it wasn't Gina coming to talk to her. Her prayers were answered...in a way..in the form of John.

"Need some help Princess?" he asked, walking in.

"I'm done cleaning," she answered.

"I was referring to this," he smirked, picking up the vodka bottle.

"Help yourself," she pushed the empty shot glass toward him.

He filled the glass and raised it to her before downing the shot. She still wasn't in a good mood but she couldn't help but smile at the face he made as he put the glass down.

"I just went up to your room looking for you," he said, leaning against the counter.

"I came down to straighten up," she shrugged.

"Everyone was worried about you," he said.

She shrugged, "I'm fine."

"Yeah you seem like you're in a great mood," he smirked.

She picked up the vodka, pouring herself another shot, and drinking it quickly.

"If it makes you feel any better..when I went to look for you, I could hear Joe and Regina yelling at each other. I don't think he took too kindly to some of the things she said during your argument."

"You heard it?" she looked up at him, surprised. She could feel a blush creep up her cheeks as she thought back to some of the things she said about him.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "I heard the whole thing."

He walked over, taking another shot, "You know...I always knew you liked me...but until tonight, I didn't know just how much."

"Oh please," she laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Really, it's flattering," he flashed her a smile and she rolled her eyes, taking the vodka from him.

"I do not _like_ you," she insisted, filling the shot glass again. "I would defend anyone to Gina."

"Probably," he nodded as she took her shot. "But I still thin you like me."

"That's because you're nuts," she said, giggling. She was definitely starting to get a buzz.

"If I'm nuts..and you want a piece of me...what does that say about you Princess?" he smirked, and she could see from the flush in his cheeks that he was feeling the effects of the liquor too. Though she'd had more shots of vodka, he had more to drink with dinner. They were probably neck and neck as far as intoxication went.

"Look...I did not get that upset about her insulting you," she said. "I mean, it was annoying but...I don't know...I try not to care but sometimes it hits me just how much Gina and my mother want me to change...It kinda hurts, you know?"

"I know," he nodded. "If it helps, even though you drive me crazy, I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Really?" she laughed.

"Well, that's thatsnot entirely true," he slurred a bit. "I'd see you naked much more often."

"More often than never?" she smirked.

"Much," he nodded.

"Whatever," she giggled. "Like you could get me naked."

"I think I could," he moved closer to her.

"Uh uh Cena," she shook a finger at him. "I don think so."

"You don't?" he smirked, taking another step toward her.

She got down off of her stool, momentarily forgetting her buzz. She was reminded of it when she started stumbling. She was sure she would fall but instead she found herself pressed tightly against John Cena.

"What are you doing?" she looked up at him.

"Keeping you from falling on your ass," he laughed.

Neither of them moved for a few seconds and Cory became acutely aware of just how close they were when the effect she was having on him became...evident. His hand moved a little lower on her back and she realized that either the liquor had gotten to her more than she thought or she was more attracted to him than she ever knew because she was considering fulfilling his wish of seeing her naked. She looked up into his blue eyes and what she saw there was a sure signal that if she didn't move away soon, something was going to happen.

"You can let me go now," she said quietly.

-----------------------------------

John heard her request but he didn't agree. Quite frankly, he wasn't quite sure he had to willpower to let her go, not with the way she felt against him. Knowing she had an incredible body was one thing but actually feeling it pressed against his..that was another. He wasn't sure if it was liquid or real courage that made him do it but he didn't care. He leaned down, kissing Cory before she could tell him to let her go again. He was expecting her to push him away and slap him but to his surprise, her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slide in, deepening the kiss. Feeling bold, he grabbed the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up. She surprised him once again when she allowed him to pull it off over her head. He dropped the shirt on the floor and knew the second he looked at her clad only in a bra and jeans that if he didn't stop himself now, he wasn't going to be able to. Fortunately he didn't need much time to think about it because after a few seconds of both of them breathing heavily, they were kissing again. He wasn't sure who started it that time but it wasn't important. Her arms went around his neck and he picked her up, wrapping her legs around him and walked blindly out of the kitchen. He was trying to have enough control not to just get down to business right up against the wall but the damn house was so big, he wasn't sure where to take her.

-----------------------------------

Cory's head was spinning but she was pretty sure it wasn't from the booze anymore. This was a decidedly different kind of intoxication. If he was having this much of an effect on her with just kissing, she could only imagine what the sex was going to be like. She was hoping she didn't have to wait too much longer to find out. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and then bit down on it. Cory was glad he was holding her up because at that moment, her legs would have melted beneath her. He pulled out of their kiss and breathlessly uttered one word, "Where?"

She looked around, trying desperately to focus. It was dark but she was pretty sure there was a guest room down the hall from where they were. Before she could tell him that, he started kissing her neck and she completely forgot that there was a question to be answered. The next minute or so was spent with both of them kissing, licking, and biting each others lips and necks. Cory discovered that John particularly enjoyed being bitten right where his neck and shoulder met. She didn't remember when it happened but she was back on her feet, pressed tightly between him and the wall and his shirt laying near her feet. Finally she remembered that they were looking for a room. She managed to make it out from between him and the wall without breaking their kiss. She had a hand on his belt and started walking backward down the hall toward where she prayed the guest room was. She undid his belt on the way, feeling him unbutton and unzip her jeans mere seconds later. She pushed her pants down while he pulled and she giggled for a second wondering who wanted them off more. They finally made it to the door of the guest room and he pushed it open roughly, guiding her inside the pitch black room.

-----------------------------------

They both felt around on the wall for a light switch but gave up after a few seconds. John felt her pull his pants down, leaving him in his boxers and then she was kissing him again. He lost himself in her kiss for a few seconds but when his hands moved over her sides and he felt the sides of her panties, he knew he couldn't wait anymore. She was obviously thinking the same thing because she turned around and he could tell she was feeling around for something, probably the bed. He kissed the back of her neck, barely a half-step behind her. Then he heard her bump into something and make a quick squeaking noise. The next thing he knew, she was bending over in front of him. Apparently they'd found the bed...and they had quite a night ahead of them.

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	30. Chapter 30

**Okay peeps, here is the next chapter..I'm quite fond of it, I hope you are too...The story is going to start moving a little faster now and I'm very excited about what's coming up. I have to say thank you so very much for the reviews, There's almost 100 for this story which is more than I _ever_ expected. Also, big hugs to the readers who added me to their favorite authors list recently (or if you already had me on your list) or added one of my stories to your favorites, I got a few of those emails in the past few days and it's very flattering to know that you appreciate my writing. Oh, and for anyone wondering..I promise I will be updating Lovesick, The Best Laid Plans AND First, Last, & Only in the next week. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 30...**

_The Next Morning…_

"I don't want you to think that this is something I do regularly," Jacinda said, toying with the edge of the sheet that covered she and Glenn's naked forms.

"I certainly hope not," he laughed a little, pulling her closer.

"Hey!" she laughed, playfully slapping his stomach. "I'm serious."

"I realize that," he said, pulling her closer, enjoying the feel of her soft skin against his. She rested her head on his chest. "Don't worry, I don't think any less of you."

She laughed a little, "Good."

He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking back to their night together. Jacinda gave off a conservative, professional vibe but she definitely let loose in the bedroom. He'd had quite the experience and considering the way she clung to him in her sleep, it would seem she enjoyed herself just as much.

"So…as much as I hate to ask this," she sighed, raising her head to look up at him. "What next?"

"I was thinking breakfast," Glenn smirked. "I'm starving. You wore me out woman."

She laughed, smacking him on the chest, "Glenn."

He knew full well what she meant but he also liked making her laugh. There was something about her smile. She rested her chin on his chest, obviously waiting for him to answer her question.

"What comes next is completely up to you," he said. "I definitely don't want this to be the last time we wake up together after a wild night of passionate lovemaking."

She laughed against, sitting up and turning toward him, covering herself with the sheet, "So you just want another roll in the hay?"

"I'd love one," he smiled. "I'd also love to take you out to dinner tonight."

She bit her bottom lip a little and he could see that she was trying not to smile.

"What do you say?" he waited.

"I suppose that would be alright," she smiled.

"Good," he smiled. "If you said no I was gonna have to get up and walk out and I'm not entirely sure where my boxers are."

"I _think_ they're in that direction," she pointed to her right. "I'm not completely sure though."

She looked over at the clock beside the bed and sighed, "I need to get dressed. Cory has to be at a photo shoot in a half hour. I don't even have time to take a shower."

"She can make it there on her own," he said.

"I'm sure she can but it's my first day on the job and I'm supposed to be there with her," Jacinda laughed, reluctantly getting out of bed. He wasn't happy that she had to leave but he had no problem with seeing her standing there naked. She had quite a body on her.

She noticed him staring and laughed, walking over to her suitcase.

"Aw come on, don't cover up yet," he said as she pulled on a pair of panties and a bra.

"You'll see it again later, I promise," she laughed, walking into the bathroom. He could hear her brushing her teeth and, most likely, washing her face, then she came out, pinning her long hair up into a twist.

When she turned to the side, Glenn noticed a scar that started on her lower back and wound around to her hip. He'd noticed another scar earlier that started behind her right ear and extended to the beginning of her jaw.

"What are those from?" he asked.

She looked over at him and followed his gaze to her side. She pulled a pair of black pants out of her bag, stepping into them, "I was in a bad car accident a couple of years ago."

"What happened?" he asked.

"It was raining," she said, grabbing a red short sleeved short and sliding her arms into it. She started doing the buttons quickly, "The guy behind me was being an idiot and trying to get around me. He clipped my car and it was so slick I started spinning. The car went off the side of the road and into the forest, right into a tree. I hadn't realized it but when my car started turning, it hit his. He slid off the road right behind me and after I hit the tree, he hit me."

"_Wow_," Glenn winced. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, giving him a smile as she hastily put mascara on. "You weren't there."

"I know..but.." Glenn trailed off, not knowing what to say. He knew he wasn't there but he felt horrible for her, he would feel horrible for anyone who'd been in that situation.

"I'm just glad to be alive," Jacinda said, touching her cheeks with a blush brush. "I don't cry about it, I don't dwell on it. I have way too many other things to worry about."

Glenn already knew he liked her but her attitude after such an ordeal shot his opinion of her way up.

"And what other things do you have to worry about?" he smirked.

She stepped into a pair of black pumps, applying red lipstick at the same time. Then she grabbed a black leather bag, her cell phone, a coat, and car keys, "Being late for my first day of work."

-----------------------------------

Mark was on his way to the hotel gym when he saw Dawn. She was sitting on a bench in the lobby, staring blankly out the front doors. She looked absolutely beautiful and completely exhausted all at the same time. Her brown waves looked messy, her eyes tired. Mark thought back to his conversation with John. He was right. He needed to talk to Dawn, to tell her how he felt, put everything out in the open. From the looks of it, he needed to do it soon because whatever she was keeping from him had her on the verge of falling apart. He shook his head at the absurdity of his nervousness at that very moment. He was Mark Callaway. The Undertaker. The Phenom. The man who had 'instilled fear in the hearts of normal men' as JR often said. So why the hell was he shaking in his boots over a 5'7", 120 lb. woman?….Because he loved her. Because everything just felt better when she was around. Because hurting her was the biggest mistake he'd ever made and he realized now that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life and he needed to tell her that.

_No time like the present…Man up, she ain't gonna wait forever_

Mark walked toward her, hoping this went well. He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to say but he hoped whatever it was ended up being exactly what she wanted to hear.

She blinked a few times, coming out of the strange trance she'd been in and her head slowly turned in his direction. When she saw him, she turned pale.

_Never a good sign_

Before he could reach her, she got up, putting her purse on her shoulder. She looked at him and Mark couldn't read her. Was she scared? Was she angry?

He didn't get a chance to ask her because she rushed through the doors without a word.

-----------------------------------

Dawn practically ran to her rental car and got inside, slamming the door and resting her head on the steering wheel. Why did he have to come up then? How was she supposed to figure anything out when the person that sent her mind in 50 different directions was always right in her face. Just before Mark showed up in the lobby, Dawn had run into one of the writers who casually mentioned that she was supposed to have a match on Monday. That was when it hit her. That was when she realized that she couldn't hide her secret anymore. She didn't want to tell anyone yet but she couldn't risk her baby's health by getting in the ring. She closed her eyes, putting a hand over her stomach. She really didn't have any options left. She knew what she had to do next.

-----------------------------------

"John!"

John jumped, looking around the table to see who said his name. Everyone was looking at him but he was pretty sure it was Hunter's voice that he heard.

"What?"

"You've been sitting there with that dumb smile on your face since we got here," Hunter said. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," John shook his head.

That was a lie. A big one. John knew he had a stupid look on his face but he couldn't really help it. While his friends talked about..whatever they were talking about, he was busy thinking about the night before. After that incredible dinner followed by the most amazing sex he'd ever had, he was about ready to introduce his parents to their new daughter in law. When he woke up in bed alone, he'd been convinced it was all a very vivid, pleasurable dream until he found a note from Cory explaining her absence: she had a photo shoot. She hadn't woken him up and kicked him out, that was a good sign. Once again he found his thoughts drifting back to his blissfully sleepless night. Her nails scratching his back. His hands digging into her hips. Her hair, damp with sweat, falling over his back when she bit into his shoulder, trying to keep quiet.

"Cena!" Hunter pulled him out of his thoughts once again.

"_What_?" John asked, growing irritated. It was bad enough that Hunter, Randy, and Glenn showed up at the house, waking him up not 10 minutes after he'd fallen back asleep. Now they wouldn't even let him enjoy his thoughts.

"What happened last night?" Randy asked, looking suspicious.

"I told you, Cory let me stay because I was a little drunk and she didn't want me driving back to the hotel," John said. Part of him wanted to brag about it. For some reason he was especially interested in telling Randy the details, it probably had something to do with his friend's little 'kiss ass' act at dinner. But the other part of him knew that what happened between him and Cory was nobody's business but theirs and so, though it was difficult, he was doing his best to keep his mouth shut.

"He's lying," Randy pointed. "I can feel it."

"Why would I lie?" John asked.

"I don't know," Glenn said. "But I think you are too."

John tried to look offended but he knew he was smiling. He made a mental note not to play poker anytime soon.

"I take it I'm not the only one who had sex last night," Glenn smirked.

Everyone at the table had already heard the sordid details of Glenn's night with Jacinda.

"No way," Hunter shook his head. "Cory wouldn't have sex with this guy if her life depended on it."

And once that statement was uttered, John's gentlemanly nature dissolved.

"She did last night, 4 times," he smirked. "And as far as I'm aware, her life wasn't in any danger."

Hunter seemed skeptical, "Seriously?"

John nodded, "We were in the kitchen talking and..one thing led to another..next thing I know she's bent over in a guest room and I'm-"

"I don't know if I wanna hear any more," Glenn said. "Mark would kill me with his bare hands if he knew I listened to you brag about sex with Cory."

John continued, not worried about what Mark would say. It wasn't like he was going to find out.

-----------------------------------

"So how are Joe and Gina?" Jessica asked as Cory sat having her makeup touched up.

"I don't know, I didn't see either of them this morning," she said. "I was just getting ready when Jacinda got to the house."

Cory was grateful that her sister didn't ask why she'd slept late. She wasn't quite ready to tell her she'd been up until 4 in the morning having mind blowing sex with John Cena. No, she was definitely not ready to tell her sister about that.

When she woke up and found John sleeping beside her, to her surprise, she wasn't even tempted to wake him up and kick him out. She'd actually disgusted herself a little by thinking about how cute he looked when he was sleeping. That was just…wrong. Thinking about how great the sex was, that was fine. That was normal. It was damn good. But being all mushy in the morning was just…confusing. Did she really like him? John 'royal pain in her ass' Cena? She thought of the smile that touched her face as she watched him sleep and sighed realizing that she did. She liked him. A lot. But she still wasn't going to tell Jessie that they had sex.

"So you just did a couple shots and then went to sleep?" Jessica asked.

"Yup," Cory lied. "I was..really tired."

-----------------------------------

"Viveca, I am _so_ sorry," Taylor said, her voice cracking a little as she looked at her friend's face.

Her eyes were wide, rapidly filling with tears. She started shaking and Jeff took her in his arms, stroking her hair as she started sobbing against him.

Taylor looked helplessly over at Chris. She'd asked him to come with her when she gave the news to Viveca because she wasn't sure if she could do it by herself.

"Maybe..maybe we should go," Chris said.

Taylor nodded, feeling horrible. She hated having to be the one to tell Viveca that her father had passed away. She took the information she'd gotten from Mrs. Johnson and put it down on the arm of the couch, knowing that Jeff would get it later.

"_Please_ let us know if there's anything we can do," Taylor said.

Jeff nodded silently and Chris took Taylor's hand, leading her out of the room.

"God that felt horrible," Taylor shook her head as they walked down the hall.

"I know," he pulled her closer to him, planting a quick kiss on her temple. "When's the funeral again?"

"Wednesday," Taylor answered.

"So then she probably wont be in Detroit with us Tuesday, right?"

Taylor froze, her heart skipping a beat, "Where?"

"Detroit," Chris said. "The Smackdown taping? You remember Smackdown don't you?"

Chris laughed a little but Taylor couldn't move. She felt her heart start beating faster and faster and she shook her head, "No…I'm not going."

-----------------------------------

"I still cant believe it," Hunter shook his head as he and John walked into the lobby.

John looked over at his friend, frowning. All kidding aside, he was starting to get a little offended that Hunter was still in disbelief. Not too long ago, he'd been one of the masses telling John that he and Cory were _meant to be_ and now he was in shock that something actually happened between them? It didn't make much sense.

"Believe it," John said. "It happened. And it was great."

"I've heard enough, thank you," Hunter laughed, putting a hand up.

John felt a little guilty for talking so much earlier. The sex was great and rubbing it in Randy's face was particularly satisfying but…he'd recently come to realize that, though he fought it tooth and nail, he liked Cory. In all her profane, verbally abusive, spoiled bratty glory. It had probably been there for a while but for some reason it really hit him that morning. John had gone to get some water before he went to sleep. When he left the room, she was awake but when he came back, she'd drifted off to sleep. He set his water down and got back into the bed, trying his best not to wake her. Once he was settled, he looked down at her and completely forgot about his water. It was rare that he got to appreciate how truly beautiful she was. Sure, she was _hot_ even when she was yelling at him but laying there, content and peaceful, her breathing slow and even, her head resting on top of her hand, she really looked.._beautiful_. He reached out, tracing his finger along one of her eyebrows. So that was what they looked like when she wasn't looking irritated or annoyed or amused after taking a crack at him. When he touched her face, she turned a little and John found himself with his hand stuck under her cheek. He laughed a little and then contemplated moving it but he didn't want to wake her. Instead, he laid on his side, using his free hand to get the pillow the way he wanted it. He put his head down, his thumb gently stroking her cheek until he went to sleep.

John was just slightly annoyed and disgusted by how sweet he'd been that morning, fortunately Cory had been asleep and didn't see him gazing at her like a lovesick puppy. She definitely would have laughed at him. He looked down at his watch, wondering if her shoot was over. It had been a few hours and he was wondering what the appropriate next move was. Did he call her? If he did, what was he supposed to say? Should he ask her out to dinner or something? That sounded kind of like a good idea…kind of. That all depended on how she felt about him and though he knew very well that she enjoyed the sex, he also knew that it was a very real possibility that she would just say she was tipsy and they should pretend it never happened.

_No asking her out..That is not an option..Think of the shit she would give you if she didn't wanna go_

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Hunter laughed. "Jesus, she really put it on you, didn't she?"

"Ha ha asshole," John glared at his friend.

They both stopped walking when they heard loud female laughter behind them. John knew that laugh. What did he do? Conjure her up with his thoughts?

"Is this gonna be a happy reunion?" Hunter smirked before they both turned around.

"Shutup."

Cory, Jessica, and Jacinda were walking into the lobby. Cory and Jessica were laughing. Jacinda was looking down at her PDA intently. Cory had obviously just finished her photo shoot. She was wearing jeans and a hoodie but her dark hair was a mess of curls and she had very dramatic makeup on that made her eyes look an eerily bright shade of blue. When she noticed them, John was half expecting the smile on her face to fade. It did, a little…not completely. She looked sort of nervous. That was interesting.

"Hello gentlemen," Jessica smiled. "Top o' the mornin' to ya."

"Is she drunk this early in the day?" Hunter asked.

"She's drank a bunch of red bull at the studio," Cory shook her head. "Remind me never to let that happen again on my watch."

"I didn't have _that_ many," Jessica said, though the fact that her already big blue eyes were a bit wider than usual made it obvious that her perception was off.

"Come on, let's get you some water or something before you have a heart attack," Hunter said, putting a hand on her back and turning her toward the hotel restaurant.

"How is water gonna help me if I'm having a heart attack?" Jessica asked and John noticed that she was talking a lot faster than usual.

"I've gotta run upstairs and make a couple of phone calls," Jacinda told Cory.

"Okay, no rush," Cory nodded before the other woman walked off.

"You guys comin with us?" Hunter asked.

John looked over at Cory who looked back at him and then over at Hunter, "We'll uh..we'll be right there."

"Don't leave me alone with her for too long," Hunter said before leading Jessica away.

John looked after them, laughing.

"You should have seen her at the studio," Cory said. "She was practically bouncing off the walls. I think it's starting to wear off."

"That's good, I'm not used to Jessie being so peppy," John laughed. "It frightens me."

"It frightens us all," Cory nodded.

They fell into awkward silence and he looked down, seeing that she was wringing the edge of her sleeve.

"So…" he put his hands in his pockets.

"Can we talk for a second?" she looked up at him.

"I thought that was why we didn't go with them," John laughed.

She smiled sheepishly, "Right..um…okay…"

John fought a smile. It was nice knowing he wasn't the only one that was a little nervous.

"About last night…" something on her hand must have been fascinating because she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from it. Her inability to look at him wasn't terribly comforting. He felt himself growing more and more anxious and that bothered him to no end.

"About last night.." she laughed nervously, looking up at him.

"I understand if you wanna just forget about it," he blurted without thinking. He didn't want to just forget about it but he didn't want her knowing that.

To his surprise, she looked a little disappointed, "Oh..well…okay."

_Good job dumbass_

"If that's what you want," she shrugged, looking very confused.

"Wasn't that what you were going to say?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Not really, no."

"It wasn't?" he stared.

"No," she shook her head. "But if that's what you wanna-"

"It's not," he shook his head.

"_What_?" she stared at him, lost. "Well then why did you say it?"

"Because I thought that was what you were gonna say," he shrugged.

Cory shook her head, "It may be because I didn't sleep much but I'm confused."

John took a deep breath, realizing that he was gonna have to put himself out there a little to get this conversation on the right track. He scratched the top of his head, suddenly feeling very intimidated.

"John?" she looked at him impatiently.

"I don't wanna forget about it," he said. "I said that because I thought that you would."

She nodded, "Okay."

"So what _were_ you going to say?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head, feeling his neck growing hot.

_Jesus, am I blushing?_

"I was gonna say that I had a really good time last night," she said. "You know..after bitching my sister out."

He laughed.

"And…God I cant believe I'm saying this…" She rubbed her forehead, her cheeks turning red. "I um..was thinking that..maybe..maybe we could see if there's more between us than just..you know…"

John was amazed. Was Corinne Samms actually, in her own way, admitting that she liked him?

She rubbed her temple, giving him an impatient look.

He smiled, "I think that is a very good idea."

"You do?" she looked surprised.

"Believe it or not, I do," he said.

She breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay..so.."

"Do you wanna go to dinner tonight?" he asked. What the hell was with his mouth moving before he got a chance to think today?

They were scheduled to do a radio interview together in a few hours to promote Wrestlemania but after that, he was free. Hopefully she was too.

"Sure," she nodded. "Why not?

"Cool," John felt himself smiling like a schoolboy. He tried his best to stop it but he couldn't. They heard Jessica's loud laughter and Cory winced, "We should probably go save Hunter."

"Probably," John nodded, though he was content to let his friend suffer a little longer.

"Umm…one more thing," she bit her bottom lip.

"What's up?" he asked, feeling incredibly relaxed for some reason.

_Damn this has been a good day_

"Until we really know..what's going on here," she gestured between the two of them. "I was thinking that maybe we..shouldn't really tell anyone about what happened…you know how word spreads around here and I really don't wanna deal with that quite yet."

_And there goes my good day_

"That makes sense," he nodded, praying his friends had kept their mouths shut. If he could get to them before they told anyone, everything would be fine.

"So you wont tell anybody?" she asked.

"Of course not," John smiled. "Our business is our business."

"You know Cena, sometimes you're not half bad," she smirked.

They heard the sound of glass breaking and then Hunter's voice.

Cory winced, "Do we help him or do we run?"

"Definitely run," John nodded.

She laughed, rolling her eyes and walking toward the restaurant. He considered leaving to go swear his friends to secrecy but she stopped, looking over her shoulder at him, "Come on muscles, I don't know if Hunter and I can take her without you."

_They wont tell anybody yet_

-----------------------------------

"Dude," Charlie Haas walked into the hotel gym, smiling.

"What?" Shelton Benjamin put down the weight he was holding.

"You wont believe what I just heard…"


	31. Chapter 31

**Okay peeps, here's the next chapter. Thanks so much again for the reviews, you're all fabulous. It really helps me to know your take on the story. I am sick once again (I swear I take vitamins, I lead a pretty healthy life, my immune system just doesn't wanna work for me). I'm off work for a few days due to this illness and I'm not sure if this means I'll update more or less but I promise I'll be working on my stories. I cant do much else. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 31...**

Viveca stared out the window, her head resting on Jeff's chest. Her throat felt raw from sobbing, her eyes were sore and tired. She didn't know how long she cried or when she stopped. She vaguely remembered falling to the floor. Jeff picked her up and carried her to the bed, rocking her back and forth as she cried. Now they were laying on the bed, his arms wrapped around her. She knew it was coming. She knew he was sick. She saw him practically lifeless in the hospital. So why did it feel like a house had just fallen on her? Why wasn't she more prepared?

Jeff ran his hand over her hair and she felt her dry eyes start to moisten again. Her father was gone. She was never going to see him alive again. She'd never get to hug him or hear him laugh. He'd never get to meet Jeff. If she ever got married…

When fresh tears fell from her eyes and onto his chest, Jeff squeezed her tighter.

"I'm so sorry Viveca," he said.

"I should have been there Jeff," she sniffed. "I knew that this would happen and I wasn't there."

"I'm sure he knows you wanted to be there," Jeff said, stroking her hair.

"How am I supposed to go to the funeral?" Viveca sniffed. "I don't know if I can handle seeing him like that."

"I'll be there with you," he said. "If you want me to."

She looked up at him, nodding softly, "I do."

-----------------------------------

Dawn flipped through the channels again, barely paying attention to the images flashing in front of her. She needed to call Cory. She was her best friend and she wanted her to be the first to know..but she wasn't sure if she was prepared for her reaction. She didn't have much time though, she had to tell her soon. Cory had been there during her first pregnancy. She was by her side every minute that she could be, supporting her, helping her, cooking for her and cleaning the house when she her feet hurt and she didn't feel like it. She was there when Mark broke her heart and she was there the day she lost the baby. A bitter laugh escaped her and she shook her head. If anyone had told her a few months ago that she would find herself in this predicament, she would have told them they were crazy. No way would she be pregnant again. No way would she and Mark ever have a chance at another baby. How could she let this happen? She'd done everything she could for a long time to make sure that she didn't let her feelings for Mark take hold of her again. She loved him, she couldn't fool herself into thinking she didn't but she had convinced herself that they couldn't be together again. And now they were going to have a baby together and she couldn't bring herself to tell him. She wasn't even sure what she was afraid of anymore. Despite his faults, Mark loved her. She believed he never wanted to hurt her. But she'd believed that before. She blinked as she felt tears coming to her eyes and looked down at her stomach. She wasn't sure if it was just hormones or what but she couldn't stop crying lately. It was beginning to drive her crazy.

"Aren't you supposed to wait to drive me nuts until you're born?" she laughed a little, wiping her eyes.

There was a knock on the door and Dawn got up, wiping her eyes, hoping she didn't look like she'd been crying. She took a deep breath and opened the door, smiling when she saw John. He was a welcome distraction from her wallowing.

"Hey D," he smiled as she waved him inside. He stopped, taking in her appearance, a look of concern quickly taking over his face, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, closing the door behind him.

He frowned, obviously not believing her.

"Seriously, nothing," she smiled. "I just watched a sad movie. Chick flicks, you know how that goes."

He still seemed skeptical but John wasn't one to push so he let it go.

"So," she smiled. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

The smile that he gave her was one she definitely wasn't accustom to seeing from him. It was almost shy. This was going to be good.

"I uh…I need some advice," he said.

"On what exactly?" she asked.

"Don't laugh," he pointed.

"I'm not laughing," she put her hands up.

"I'm taking Cory to dinner tonight," he said. "And I was hoping you could give me some suggestions on where to take her."

Dawn knew she looked shocked but she couldn't help it.

"You can close your mouth Dawn, I know it's a surprise," he smirked.

"Is this a date?" Dawn asked.

He nodded.

Dawn smiled, restraining herself from hugging him. It was about damn time.

"What made you finally ask her?" she inquired.

"Long story," John laughed.

She got the feeling that he wanted to say more but decided to show him the same courtesy he showed earlier and didn't press.

He sat down on the couch, shaking his head, "It's crazy, D…I'm actually kind of hoping this goes somewhere."

"And why is that?" she smirked.

"Don't make me say it," he looked up at the ceiling.

"You're gonna have to say it eventually," she laughed.

John tried to glare at her but ended up laughing, "Okay fine, I like her. A lot."

Dawn smiled, "See, it didn't kill you."

John shrugged.

"Why is it so hard to just say it?" Dawn asked.

"Because it doesn't make sense," John said. "We fight like cats and dogs. Hell, when I first met her, I was hoping she'd get fired and now…"

John trailed off, shrugging.

"John, if there's anything that I can _clearly_ understand right now..it's that life doesn't always make sense," she said. "And it certainly doesn't always end up the way you think it will."

She took a deep breath after saying that, hoping that he said something soon before she started blubbering. She was really turning into a buzz kill.

He looked at her with thoughtful blue eyes, his excitement over his date turning into concern for her, "Dawn..what's wrong?"

That wasn't exactly what she was hoping he would say. She was hoping he'd turn their conversation back onto himself. He needed to learn to be more self centered.

She shook her head, trying for her best reassuring smile, "Nothing, really."

She was obviously losing her touch because he didn't look remotely convinced.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" he looked at her sincerely. Dawn smiled, touched by how brotherly he could be at times. When she first met him she hadn't been much more fond of him than Cory was at first but she could tell after a few conversations that they would be great friends. And they were now, which was probably why she felt a pang in her chest when she had to lie to him.

"I know I can," she smiled. "But there's nothing wrong, I promise."

He sighed, seeming ready to give up. The next few minutes were filled with Dawn giving John suggestions on where to take Cory. Once his decision was made, they both stood up and John gave her a big hug.

"Thanks D," he squeezed her tightly.

"Anytime," she smiled.

"Can I ask you for one more favor?" he finally released her.

"I suppose," she laughed.

"If Mark tries to talk to you…just..hear him out," John requested. "Please."

Dawn was surprised by the request but nodded, "Okay…I'll try."

-----------------------------------

Taylor sat on the floor with her back against the couch, staring down at her journal. The page in front of her was full of scratch outs. She had written a few words and broken phrases but she scratched out everything, convinced that she wasn't making sense. A doctor told her once when she was younger that whenever she felt panicked, she should write in her journal. The doctor said that it could help calm her down, act as a form of therapy when she couldn't go and see professional. Sometimes it worked. This time it wasn't helping at all. Her heart rate shot through the roof when Chris told her they were going to Detroit and she was fairly certain that it still hadn't returned to normal. If Chris didn't think she was crazy before, he definitely did now. After she told him she wasn't going, she rushed away from him like the hallway was on fire and she'd been holed up in her room ever since. He came to her door a few minutes later but she didn't answer it. He would want to know why she freaked out, why she was so adamant about not going and she wasn't ready to discuss it with him. She wasn't sure she ever would be.

Her Blackberry beeped on the floor next to her and she picked it up, tossing it behind her without looking at it. She figured it was Chris again. Her head was pounding, the phone kept beeping and then, there was a knock on the door.

"Go away!" she yelled, closing her journal and tossing it away. She really couldn't do this.

The knocking continued, along with the noise from the phone and, fed up, Taylor got up, walking over to the door and swinging it open. To Taylor's surprise, she found Cory leaning against the doorjamb, smiling, holding up her cell phone, "You really need to get better about answering your phone."

-----------------------------------

Cory could see that Chris wasn't exaggerating when she saw Taylor. She straightened up, putting her cell phone in her pocket, immediately concerned for her younger friend. Taylor's eyes were wide, her face flushed, her hair was a mess, like she'd been pulling at it or something.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor asked. She didn't seem annoyed at her presence, just surprised.

"Chris told me you were upset," Cory answered. "Can I come in for a minute?"

Taylor looked reluctant.

"You have to talk to someone," Cory shrugged.

Taylor's apprehension seemed to lift somewhat and she stepped aside, allowing Cory to enter the room. Taylor walked into the room while Cory closed the door.

"So I hear you're not too excited about our trip to Detroit," Cory said, cutting right to the chase. Chris had called her, worried, asking her to go and talk to Taylor. He seemed to think that if anyone could get through to her, it was Cory.

"This was a horrible idea," Taylor paced back and forth, shaking her head.

Cory got the distinct feeling that Taylor wasn't talking to her but she decided to respond anyway.

"What's a bad idea?"

"This, all of this," Taylor gestured to nothing in particular. "I should have stuck with my original plan."

"The plan that had you a paycheck away from being homeless in a brand new city without a soul to call a friend?" Cory asked. "That plan? Because it didn't seem like the best idea to me."

Taylor looked over at her, obviously frustrated and upset, her blue eyes brimming with tears.

"You don't understand," Taylor said, slowly shaking her head.

"So help me understand," Cory said, sitting on the back of the couch.

Taylor kept pacing, wrapping her slender arms around herself. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, sniffing. She was biting her bottom lip and releasing it, trying to control her breathing.

Sometimes Cory forgot just how young her friend was but at that moment, pacing in front of her, practically trembling, Taylor looked like a frightened teenager and Cory wanted nothing more than to help her.

She stood up, walking over and putting her hands on Taylor's shoulders to keep her from pacing. She looked her straight in the eye and said evenly, "I told you earlier..you have to talk to someone…Talk to me."

Taylor sniffed, "Cory…I cant go there."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that's where you're from," Cory said.

Taylor nodded, "I..I cant tell you why but..I cant go back there."

-----------------------------------

"So we're going to dinner tonight," Glenn concluded his story.

Mark nodded, not saying anything yet. Glenn had just detailed his night with Cory's new assistant Jacinda and Mark wasn't exactly sure what his friend wanted him to say.

"Well?" Glenn waited.

"What?" Mark shrugged.

"I at least expected you to be a little happy for me," Glenn laughed.

Mark took a deep breath, "I'm glad that you got some, I know it's been a while."

"Yeah but..I don't know," a smile touched Glenn's face. "It's more than that. I actually like this girl."

"You like her?" Mark asked. "And you can tell that from the few hours you've spent with her?"

Glenn looked surprised, "Yeah, yeah I can."

Mark frowned. He didn't know why but there was something about Jacinda that bothered him. Something was off. It wasn't fair for him to say Glenn hadn't known her enough to like her when he hadn't known her long enough to distrust her but there was just something that bothered him. During Cory's dinner party Jacinda was very quiet, but not in the way most newcomers were quiet. It didn't seem like she was awestruck or shy. She didn't seem hesitant to join the conversation. The few times that Mark looked over at her, she seemed to be listening to everyone very intently. She didn't laugh at any joke or join the rest of the women in fawning over pictures of Portia's newborn niece. She just…sat there. But with everything going on with Dawn and worrying about Cory's mental state thanks to Regina, Mark was a little out of sorts. Maybe he'd read her wrong. Glenn was one of his best friends and he trusted his judgment. If he found someone he was interested in, Mark needed to at least try to be happy for him.

He patted his friend on the shoulder, "You let me know how dinner goes."

-----------------------------------

"I saw Adam in the hallway, I told him what happened," Matt said, sitting on a barstool next to Jeff. Jeff had ordered some food from the hotel restaurant and he was waiting to pick it up and take it back to Viveca. She hadn't eaten anything all day.

"He said he might go up and see her," Matt said.

Jeff rolled his eyes before he realized what he was doing.

"What was that?" Matt asked.

"It's really not important right now," Jeff said. His insecurities or whatever they were needed to take a backseat. He was supposed to be taking care of Viveca.

"Come on," Matt nudged him. "What's going on?"

Jeff had felt a little strained where his friendship with Adam was concerned lately. He didn't really want to discuss it but if he knew his brother, Matt wasn't about to let it go.

"You remember when me and Viveca had that fight?" he asked.

Matt nodded.

"It took her all day to come talk to me because Adam was telling her not to," Jeff said.

"What?" Matt looked confused.

"She said that she wanted to talk to me earlier but that Adam kept telling her it was a bad idea," Jeff explained. "I don't know..maybe I'm crazy but..I just don't think Adam is as happy for us as he wants everyone to think."

Matt seemed to be carefully deciding what to say. After a few seconds he patted Jeff on the shoulder, "Jeff..I'm sure Adam is a little jealous of you and Vivie. I mean, it's common knowledge that he wanted to date her."

Jeff nodded.

"But I don't think that he would try to sabotage you guys," Matt said. "He was probably just trying to help."

"By telling her to stay away from me?" Jeff asked.

"It was a misguided attempt," Matt said. "But I'm sure it wasn't malicious."

Jeff shrugged, pulling out his wallet as a waitress walked their way with a bag, "You're probably right."

-----------------------------------

"It's gonna be okay, I promise," Cory hugged Taylor one more time.

Taylor took a deep breath, returning the hug. Cory had somehow managed to talk her into agreeing to go to the show in Detroit. They would only be there for two days and Taylor didn't have to leave the hotel if she felt uncomfortable. Cory even offered to room with her to make her feel better.

"Thanks again Cory," Taylor smiled as they pulled apart.

"No problem," Cory smiled. "Everybody here has your back, always remember that. Especially Chris."

"I'll try," Taylor nodded.

"I gotta get going, me and John have that interview and then dinner," Cory smiled.

Taylor laughed a little at how excited Cory seemed.

"Good luck on your date," Taylor smiled.

Cory's cell phone started ringing in her pocket and she offered her an apologetic smile.

"Get some rest and eat something, you still look pale," Cory ordered before leaving the room.

Taylor closed the door and leaned against it. She couldn't explain how much it meant to her that Chris and Cory would be so concerned for her. She was going to go to Detroit for them, to make them happy but…she had a bad feeling that things were about to go wrong.

-----------------------------------

John closed the door to his room and put his keys and wallet in his pocket, heading down the hall. He was supposed to meet Cory and Jacinda in the lobby in 10 minutes. There was a limo coming to take them to their interview and, hopefully, after that they would bring Jacinda back to the hotel so John and Cory could have their dinner in peace. John smiled, shaking his head as he thought about how strange it was that he was looking forward to a date with _Cory_ of all people. He'd managed to get to Randy and Glenn to make sure they didn't repeat anything he said that morning so as far as he was concerned, the day could only get better.

"Hey Cena."

John stopped walking, looking around to see who was talking to him. He spotted Shelton Benjamin walking out of his hotel room.

"What's up man?" John greeted his co-worker.

"Not too much," Shelton shook his head. "Heard you had a busy night."

John laughed a little but his smile quickly faded when he realized what Shelton said, "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" Shelton laughed. "I have to congratulate you, a lot of us thought Orton would get that before you."

"Get what? What are you talking about?" John stared, anxious.

_No way…no _fucking_ way_

John all but got down on his knees and prayed Shelton wasn't referring to what he _thought_ he was referring to. Maybe he was lucky. Maybe Shelton was talking about a title shot or a DVD or something.

"Don't be offended," Shelton laughed. "Everybody knows she doesn't like you…Or at least we thought she didn't. I'm impressed."

"Oh son of a bitch," John ran a hand over his face.

"What's wrong?" Shelton asked. "I'd be clicking my heels all the way down the hall if I were you."

If Shelton knew, how many other people did? John could feel tension knotting the muscles in his neck. He had to do damage control.

"Where did you hear that?" John asked.

"Does it matter?" Shelton laughed.

"Shelton, I'm gonna ask you one more time," John tried not to lose his patience with the other man. "How did you find out I had sex with Cory?"

"Charlie told me," Shelton answered, obviously confused.

"Haas?" John frowned, confused. "How the hell does Haas know?"

"He heard Glenn and Randy talking about it," Shelton shrugged, obviously not seeing what the big deal was. Of course he wouldn't see it. He wasn't the one who was going to feel Cory's wrath when she found out. _If_ she found out. Maybe she wouldn't find out. Maybe Charlie and Shelton were the only people who knew. John rubbed his forehead realizing that he was starting to feel panicked.

"Did you tell anybody?" he asked.

"What a stud you are?" Shelton smirked. "A couple people."

_Shit_

"A couple people?" John stared. "How many is a couple?"

Shelton shrugged, "I don't know..A couple. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that Cory asked me to keep quiet about it," John said. "And I don't know how well you know her, but she's got a temper."

"Well it sounds like you know how to handle her," Shelton laughed.

John glared at him.

"Calm down," Shelton laughed. "I didn't tell that many people."

"What exactly are the chances of Cory finding out about this?" John asked, rubbing his forehead.

Shelton shrugged again, "Pretty slim."

-----------------------------------


	32. Chapter 32

**Okay, I wanted to get this chapter up last night but then I started feeling worse so it had to wait...but it's done now and I'm already working on the next. I apologize if any of it doesn't make sense..I've had a lot of cold medicine. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 32...**

Cory turned her phone off, slipping it into her purse. She'd just had her third conversation with Regina in about 6 hours. She couldn't get a hold of Joe and she was freaking out about it. Cory was mildly amused considering Joe was still at the house, just in the garage tinkering with one of her grandmother's old cars. She probably should have told her sister where to find her fiance but she was still mad at her. Besides, if she got up and looked around a little, he wouldn't be that hard to find. She looked up when the green room door opened. John walked back into the room and plopped down on the couch next to her. Whoever was being interviewed before them was taking longer than expected and John went down to get some coffee for himself and tea for her.

"Thank you," she smiled when he handed her the cup of tea.

"Anytime," he popped the lid off of his coffee. "How's Gina?"

"Frantic," Cory laughed. "It's fun."

"I'm sure," John smirked.

Cory drank some of her tea and the room fell silent. She noticed John tapping his fingers on his leg and looking around the room. She frowned a little, leaning back and watching him. He'd been acting weird since they met in the lobby. One second he was acting normal and then the next he was all fidgety and quiet and he would look anywhere he could except at her. Even Jacinda noticed that he seemed odd before she went to go make a phone call.

"Are you okay?" Cory asked.

"Hm?" he jumped, looking over at her.

"I said are you okay?" she asked, putting her tea down. "Listen, John, if this whole dinner thing is too weird for you just tell me beca-"

"It's not," he shook his head quickly. "Trust me. I'm looking forward to it."

She smiled, "You're sure?"

He nodded, seeming to return to normal, "I'm sure."

"Okay," she nodded. "So..should I be nervous about this thing?"

They were being interviewed on Mike Morrison's radio show. Mike Morrison was known for being a 'shock jock'. There wasn't any question he wouldn't ask and if you didn't answer, he usually just made fun of you until you did. Kind of the poor man's Howard Stern. But he always had at least two wrestlers on before every pay-per-view and he gave the WWE a lot of good publicity, especially going into Wrestlemania.

"Don't be nervous," John smiled. "The prettier you are, the nicer he usually is. You shouldn't have any problems."

"Well, as long as he directs the assault at you," Cory smirked.

"Oh thanks," he laughed. "Just try to keep the focus on Wrestlemania and we'll be great, okay?"

She nodded.

"John, Cory," Jacinda poked her head into the green room. "They're ready for you."

_5 Minutes Later_

"Welcome back to the show ladies and gentlemen," Mike said into the microphone. "We are now lucky enough to be joined by WWE Superstars John Cena and the very beautiful Cory Flair. Welcome to the show."

"Thank you," Cory smiled.

"Why don't I get to be beautiful?" John asked. "Is the special treatment starting already?"

Cory laughed a little, glad that John was there with her. Her plan was pretty much to let him handle the bulk of the interview. Most of the fans were listening to hear him anyway.

"_I_ think you're beautiful," Jenny, Mike's co-host, piped up.

"Well thank you," John smiled. "I'm glad someone appreciates me."

"Don't get her all excited," Mike laughed.

"Somebody give me a fan or something," Jenny laughed, using her hand to fan herself.

"Drink some ice water or something," Cory laughed.

"So you guys are here to promote Wrestlemania, right?" Mike asked.

"Yes we are," Cory smiled. "It's on April 4th this year at Madison Square Garden."

"The biggest show of the year," John smiled.

"Now, is Hulk Hogan gonna be on the show by any chance?" Jenny laughed.

"You never know," Cory laughed.

"As long as you're there, I'm watching," Mike pointed at Cory.

"Which one of us?" John smirked. "You gotta make that clear Mike."

"You're cool Cena but you don't have a rack like that," Mike laughed.

Cory laughed, shaking her head. She was surprised it took him this long to mention her breasts.

"He does have a nice one though," Cory laughed, reaching over and touching John's chest.

"Uh oh, there's groping going on now," Jenny laughed. "I'm jealous."

"It's just a little groping," Cory laughed.

"I'll take some of that," Mike smiled.

"Come here Mike, I'll give ya some attention," John smirked.

"When did the conversation get to this?" Jenny laughed.

"Good question," Cory laughed. "I think this started with my rack."

"It is a nice one," Jenny said.

"Yes it is," John gave them an exaggerated stare.

"Are they real?" Mike asked.

"Aren't we supposed to be talking about Wrestlemania?" Cory laughed. "You know, biggest show of the year, MSG, sold out."

"We'll get to Wrestlemania in one second," Mike smiled mischievously. "First I wanna ask the two of you about something I heard from an inside source. A guy I know that works with you guys."

"Uh oh," Cory laughed, looking over at John. She tried to look amused but for some reason she was starting to get a bit uneasy. She shook it off though, it was probably nothing.

John gave her a wink and she felt at ease.

"Now I notice that you two seem very comfortable around each other," Mike said.

Cory shrugged, "I guess he's not that bad."

"You guess?" John feigned hurt.

"I guess," she laughed.

"Where is this going?" John asked.

Mike smiled, "My little birdie tells me that you two did the nasty last night, is that true?"

Cory stared, unable to speak. Her mind told her to focus, be professional, make a joke, do _something_. But all she could do was turn to John and stare.

"Ooh, I think that's all the confirmation I need," Jenny laughed.

"Uh…" John seemed to be searching for something to say.

"On that note, we're gonna take a quick break," Mike laughed. "We'll be right back fans and hopefully we'll have an answer from Cory Flair and John Cena."

Mike pressed a button and then pushed his headphones off his ears, "So guys..what's the deal? Is it true or not?"

Cory clenched her teeth to keep from saying anything. She wanted to punch John right in the face but she couldn't do that. Not in front of people. She needed to find some way to remain professional. And bite his head off later.

John shook his head, "No, it's not true."

"I don't know, my sources are pretty good," Mike laughed. "Come on, you can tell me."

There was a knock on the studio door. Mike looked surprised but nodded to his assistant to open the door.

Jacinda leaned into the room, "I am so sorry to interrupt but there's a family emergency. Cory's gonna have to leave right away."

Mike looked a little confused but nodded.

Cory frowned, confused herself. She got up, taking off her headphones. John reached for her hand as she walked past him but she quickly moved it out of his reach.

She walked out of the studio behind Jacinda without another word to the hosts or John. Jacinda was walking quickly and in seconds, they'd reached the green room.

"What happened?" Cory asked as Jacinda picked up her purse and coat and handed them to her.

"Nothing," Jacinda smiled, shaking her head. "I just didn't think you wanted to finish that."

Cory breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at her new assistant, she'd definitely hired the right person, "Thanks."

"Just doing my job," Jacinda smiled.

Cory put on her coat, "Let's get the hell out of here."

---------------------------------

_1 Hour Later…_

"Hey, it's Cory..leave a message."

John hung up, putting his phone back in his pocket as he walked into the hotel lobby. He'd already left her four messages that she probably wouldn't listen to. He was 99 sure that Jacinda lied about the 'family emergency' to get Cory out of the interview. He was hoping the abrupt interruption would cause a topic change in the conversation but once Cory was out of the room, Mike kept hounding John, trying to find out if they really had sex. John did his best to squash the 'rumor' but Mike had details. How the hell did this happen?

_Randy_

This was all Randy's fault. He was going to kick Randy's ass for this. But first, he had to get Cory to talk to him. She'd mentioned earlier that she was checking back into her hotel room because she didn't feel like dealing with Joe and Regina's drama. He put his hands in his pockets, getting onto the elevator. She was probably going to slap him. She was _definitely_ going to yell and threaten him with bodily harm. But maybe, _maybe_ she would understand that this really wasn't his fault. If it was anyone's fault, it was Randy's. He reached the fourth floor and stepped off of the elevator. Her room was four doors to the right. He wasn't sure if he wanted to run to it or walk as slowly as he could manage so he could brace himself. He shook his head, walking at a normal pace to her door. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand but before he could knock, the door opened. Jacinda jumped when she saw him, almost dropping her phone and her purse.

"Sorry," he said, reaching out to steady her.

"John, this is _not_ a good time," Jacinda didn't acknowledge his apology. She seemed a bit antsy. "She is _not_ happy right now."

"I figured she wouldn't be," John said. "Look I need to talk to her, okay?"

"No," Jacinda shook her head. "I really don't think it's a good idea."

"Who is it Jacinda?" he heard Cory's voice.

After a few seconds, she walked into view, standing a few feet behind Jacinda. When she saw John, her jaw clenched, her eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms over her chest and then, as if he didn't already know she was furious, that one eyebrow shot up. Yeah, he was definitely going to get slapped.

Jacinda sighed, giving John a pointed look, "_Try_ not to upset her more."

With that, she walked away and John decided that he didn't like her very much.

"_You_ are an _asshole_," Cory glared at him.

"Cory, I can explain," he walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Oh really?" she laughed. "You can explain that? Do tell John. Explain to me how thousands of people now know that we had sex when I _asked_ you _not_ to tell anyone."

"I didn't know that was gonna happen," he insisted.

"It doesn't matter!" she yelled. "He wouldn't have found out if you hadn't said something to _someone_. How many people did you tell?"

John sighed, not wanting to answer that question.

"How many?" she asked, stepping closer to him.

"Just 3," he looked down.

"_Just_ 3?" she stared. "_Bullshit_ John."

"That was it, I swear," John insisted.

"You only told three people and it managed to get around to a _fucking_ radio host?" she yelled. "You really expect me to believe that?"

"It's not my fault okay?" he said. "The people I told talked about it to other people and it just..got around."

"Which is _exactly_ why I asked you not to say anything," she shook her head. "God I cant _believe_ I actually wanted to go out with you. I actually convinced myself for a few hours that you weren't a complete and total asshole."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" he asked, getting frustrated.

"Overreacting?" she asked. "That was _embarrassing_ John. Don't you get that?"

John ran a hand over his hair, knowing that there really wasn't anything he could say or do. He blew it. Big time.

"I'm sorry Cory."

She rolled her eyes.

"Look, cant we just try to get past this? I messed up, I know that," he said. "Let's just go to dinner and you can tell me how to make it up to you."

He reached out for her hand but she walked past him, going to the door and pulling it open, "If you think that I'd still consider going out with you, you're sadly mistaken…Get out."

-----------------------------------

"Do we know any normal women?" Chris asked. Chris, Mark, and Hunter were sitting in a bar down the street from the hotel. Mark was there alone but when Chris and Hunter got there, they all got a table together and the topic of conversation was mostly business until Chris mentioned women.

"Do those exist?" Hunter asked. "If they do, I haven't seen one in a long time."

"What are you complaining about?" Mark asked. "You're in the easiest situation here."

"Right, I forgot," Hunter said. "I'm only pursuing a woman with a boyfriend. That's totally easy."

"A loser boyfriend," Chris raised his beer.

"A loser boyfriend that she's been with for months and doesn't seem ready to break up with," Hunter said, finishing off his scotch. "You know, I don't know if I care as much anymore..I mean…Why bother?"

"You care," Mark said.

"Why?" Hunter asked.

"Because you're supposed to," Mark said, picking up his beer, frowning when he realized it was empty. "When Jessie comes around, you'll be there waiting."

"What am I? A puppy?" Hunter asked.

"Yes," Chris nodded. "That sounds accurate."

"You're one to talk," Hunter said.

Chris shook his head, "I don't know what to do with Taylor. I've known her for months but I barely know anything about her. She's so secretive."

"Maybe she's a government assassin," Hunter suggested.

"And maybe you're drunk," Mark laughed.

"Aren't we all?" Hunter asked.

"She's not an assassin," Chris said. "She just..I don't know. She gets these panic attacks..I know something bad happened to her but she wont tell me what."

"She probably just doesn't trust ya," Mark said.

"Thanks," Chris said. "That helps."

"I can fix any situation," Mark said. "Except my own."

"Dawn loves you," Hunter said, leaning back in his chair and almost falling.

"Don't hurt yourself," Mark laughed. "Look, I know she loves me. _That_ isn't the problem."

"Then what is the problem?" Chris asked.

"The problem is that…I don't know, there's a lot of problems," Mark said. "Where the hell is the waiter, I need more beer."

-----------------------------------

"So she wont speak to you at all?" Joe asked.

"Nope," John shook his head, downing another shot. He was surprised to get a call from Joe but when the other man asked him if he was up for a little bar hopping, John was more than happy to offer his company.

"You screwed up pretty big," Joe downed half of his beer. "She likes you a lot."

"She did," John said, squinting to see the television above the bar. His vision was blurred but he was pretty sure there it was on ESPN. "But now she thinks I'm an asshole…Although I'm pretty sure she thought I was an asshole before."

"So now she thinks you're like a super-asshole," Joe said.

"That is a good way to put it," John pointed, using his other hand to raise his newly filled shot glass. "Here's to me being an asshole."

"Regina can be a real asshole sometimes," Joe said, before finishing off his beer.

"Yeah, I don't like her," John said, nodding at the bartender as he poured him another shot.

"I don't like her either," Joe said. "But..I love her."

"You do?" John asked.

Joe nodded.

"Why?" John made a face.

Joe frowned and then drank some more of his beer, "I don't know..but I do."

"So you're gonna forgive her for calling you a lump of clay?" John asked.

"Yeah, but she's gonna have to wait a little while," Joe said.

"You think Cory will forgive me?" John asked.

"No," Joe shook his head. "Definitely not…Bartender, get my friend another drink."

-----------------------------------

Randy was on his way into the gym when he heard grunting. The voice was distinctly female and his curiosity was piqued. He walked in and spotted the source of the noise. There was a punching bag in the corner and Cory was doing a Mike Tyson impression on it. Her muscles were all tense and her hair and skin were damp with sweat and she didn't have gloves on. The way she was hitting the bag, she was gonna hurt herself.

"Cory," he called her name but she didn't seem to hear him.

He dropped his bag, and walked over to her, "Cory?"

She was punching faster and harder, not listening at all.

Randy debated leaving her alone until he saw a red spot on the gray bag. She was bleeding.

"Whoa there Ali," he put his arms around her waist.

She struggled against him for a second.

"Hey, it's me," he turned her to face him. "Calm down."

She stopped struggling, breathing heavily, "I didn't hear you come in."

"You were too busy assaulting the bag," he laughed a little. He took her hand, seeing that her knuckle was bleeding.

"Come here," he led her over to a bench. "You know you're supposed to use gloves with a punching bag, right?"

She nodded, "I didn't have any with me."

Hotel gyms usually had a first aid kit in plain view. Randy spotted one near the door and went to get it.

He opened it and took out some cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, Neosporin, and a band-aid.

"I can take care of this Randy," she said as he sat back down.

"It's okay, I got it," he assured her, taking the top off of the peroxide and soaking a cotton ball. He took her hand, carefully cleaning the cut, "So..wanna tell me why you're down here puttin' a beat down on the bag?"

She laughed a little and gave him a sheepish smile, "I had some..frustrations that I needed to deal with."

"Did they have anything to do with the Mike Morrison interview?" he asked. He was listening in his car when he heard Mike ask about John and Cory. That was definitely one of the most awkward moments he'd heard in a while.

"Heard that, did ya?" she smirked.

Randy nodded, putting down the cotton ball and opening the Neosporin.

"You know, I cant believe I actually thought that John could keep his mouth shut," she shook her head. "What gave me the impression that he wasn't a jerk?"

"He's not a jerk," Randy said.

She gave him a look, "He actually expects me to believe that he only told a few people."

Randy wasn't sure if this was the right thing to say but he said it anyway, "Well, I can vouch for the fact that he told 3."

She looked up at him, confused.

"This morning, he told me, Glenn, and Hunter," Randy explained, putting away the Neosporin.

She shook her head, running her good hand over her messy ponytail.

"I don't know about the other two but I didn't tell anyone," Randy said. "I'm sorry it got out."

"It's not your fault," she said as he put the band-aid on her. "It's John's. And I will never be dumb enough to think anything can happen between us again."

"You're not dumb," he said, brushing a piece of hair off of her forehead. He held up her hand so she could see it, "All better."

"Thanks Randy," she smiled.

"Anytime."

She looked over at the clock on the wall and got up, "I should go. Some of the girls are going to Dawn's room to watch a movie."

"A sleepover?" Randy smirked. "And I wasn't invited."

"No boys allowed," she laughed. "Thanks again. I'll see you later."

She was almost out the door when Randy stood up, "Hey Cory."

She turned around, waiting.

"Are you busy tomorrow?"

-----------------------------------


	33. Chapter 33

**Okay my wonderful peeps, here's the next chapter..It's one of my personal favorites and I hope you all like it too. Thanks for the reviews, I swear I'd give you all hugs if I could...As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!**

**Chapter 32...**

"I just don't understand why he's so angry with me," Regina shook her head. "I mean..what did I say that was so offensive?"

"Who invited her?" Cory looked over at Dawn.

"I think that was you," Dawn smiled.

"Oh, right," Cory nodded, eating another spoonful of ice cream. She frowned, "Why did you let me do that?"

"If I don't let you make mistakes, you'll never learn," Dawn smirked.

"Well, as long as she's got Jessie trapped, we don't have to listen," Cory said. Jessica was on the couch with Regina, listening to her recount her argument with Joe while Dawn and Cory were sitting on the bed eating ice cream. Cory had tried to get Taylor to join them but she was going to sleep early. They'd already watched two movies and gone through quite a bit of junk food. Even Regina had been pleasant, until Jessica asked her about Joe. Still, Cory couldn't get her mind off of John. She angrily shoved another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"Stop it," Dawn gave her a look.

"Stop what?" she asked.

"Stop being so angry," Dawn said. "You are a very angry person, you know that?"

"I am not an angry person," Cory insisted.

"You know what makes it so bad?"

Cory laid down, pretending she was on a therapist's couch. Dawn was about to analyze her.

"You're more angry at yourself than you are at him," Dawn said.

Cory closed her eyes, thinking about her best friend's words. Dawn had a point. She was angry at herself. She was angry because she'd let herself tell John how she felt. Now that he screwed up, she couldn't even pretend she didn't like him anymore. It made her feel like an idiot. But she didn't need to explain that to Dawn. She was practically a mind reader.

"Maybe you should just give him-"

"I am not giving him anything," Cory sat up quickly.

"Honey, I know you're embarrassed about the show and yes, he should have kept his mouth shut but-"

"It's not even about that anymore," Cory ate more ice cream. "I just..I'm done. It's too much trouble. There is too much working against something between me and John. It's just not gonna happen…and if you argue with me, I'll throw ice cream at you."

"Fine, fine," Dawn put her hands up. "I wont say anything."

-----------------------------------

"Are you _sure_ they're in Dawn's room?" Mark asked as he and Hunter stumbled down the hall, trying their best to act normal.

Hunter nodded, "Jessie said Cory needed cheering up."

"You know..Cena better stay out of my way for a while," Mark said. "Because I could kick his ass right about now."

"I don't think that's necessary," Hunter said, frowning as he looked around the hall. "Are we going the right way?"

"I don't know, you said you knew where you were going," Mark said. "And what do you mean it's not necessary?"

"Oh come on, like John is the only guy here that wants to have sex with Cory," Hunter laughed.

"Excuse me?" Mark glared, though his gaze was a little to the left of Hunter.

"I didn't say _I_ want to," Hunter put his hands up.

"You better not," Mark pointed.

"Okay," Hunter laughed, he turned around before pointing down the hall, "I think the room is that way."

-----------------------------------

"73 bottles o' beer on the wall..73 bottles o' beer…Ya take one down, pass it around..7..."

John and Joe both trailed off, trying to remember how many bottles they were at.

"Where are we going?" Joe laughed as they walked down the hall.

"My room..is somewhere in this hallway," John squinted, looking around. "But I don't remember inviting you."

Joe laughed, "You're gonna have to let me crash…I don't remember where I'm supposed to be."

"Fine," John said. "But we have to figure out where my room is first."

"Hey, maybe they can tell us," Joe pointed down the hall. Before John could even see who he was talking about, Joe was walking down the hall, "Hey! Hey, excuse me, can you help us?"

John followed, blinking in an attempt to correct his incredibly blurred vision. He couldn't remember exactly how much he had to drink but it was a lot. He felt a little dizzy and his feet felt very heavy. And everything was funny. He thought Joe was cool before but when John was drunk, he was hilarious. When he realized who Joe was talking to, things weren't quite so funny. He found himself staring at the hazy form of Mark Callaway. He could barely make out his face but he didn't need to see him clearly to know he was pissed…This could not turn out good.

-----------------------------------

"What was that noise?" Dawn asked. She'd just come out of the bathroom and she heard a loud noise coming from the hallway. She couldn't make out what it was though.

"It sounds like there's some drunks out in the hall," Jessica said. "They were singing 99 bottles of beer at first."

"Should we do something?" Dawn asked.

Regina shook her head, "If they get louder, we'll just call hotel security."

Dawn looked toward the door and shrugged, going back to the bed. Cory was frowning down at a bag of chips. Dawn really wanted to pressure her friend to give John another chance. She wanted to tell her to stop being stubborn and just go for it but she couldn't. She couldn't tell Cory what to do when she wasn't being honest with her. And she wasn't taking her own advice. Still, she hated seeing her best friend upset.

"You ate half a carton of peach ice cream tonight," Dawn laughed, plopping down next to her. "You can_not_ be mopey anymore."

"I'm not mopey," Cory flashed her a smile but Dawn wasn't convinced. "John is the farthest thing from my mind."

"You know I hate it when you lie to me," Dawn said. "It's an insult because you _know_ I know when you're lying."

Before Cory could argue, there was a loud bang against the door.

"What the hell?" Dawn got up, walking over to the door.

"Don't open that, you don't know what's going on out there," Regina hid behind Cory, who rolled her eyes at her sister.

"D, open the door," Cory encouraged.

Dawn swung the door open and gasped when she saw John and Mark struggling across the hall. They were swinging at each other but no one seemed to be landing a punch. Hunter and Joe were also there, but neither of them were trying to put a stop to the fight.

"Oh my God!" Cory rushed out into the hall. Dawn started to follow her but then she put a hand over her stomach, remembering the baby. She couldn't take a chance at getting hit by accident. She could yell though.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" She yelled as Cory managed to squeeze between them. When they both realized she was there, they stopped swinging.

"They're drunk," Hunter said, a loopy look on his face.

"No shit Hunter," Jessica walked out into the hall.

"Hey Jessie," Hunter smiled at her. "What are you doing here?"

Jessica rolled her eyes, taking his hand, "I think I'm gonna help him find his room."

"Joseph!" Regina stormed out into the hall. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"I'm havin' fun Gina!" he smiled at her. "Even lumps of clay have to have a good time."

"Oh yeah, this looks like fun," Dawn shook her head. Now that John and Mark were apart, she could see that Mark looked okay but John had a bruise forming on his cheek. Still, she wasn't used to seeing Mark so intoxicated. An extreme feeling of guilt hit her as she realized why he was so wasted. Because of her.

-----------------------------------

"Okay, who hit who?" Cory looked back and forth between Mark and John.

"I hit him," Mark admitted.

Cory had been expecting finger pointing, she didn't really have a follow up question.

"I cannot believe this," Regina shook her head. "Look at what your men have done to Joseph."

"What do you mean our men?" Cory asked, annoyed. "He doesn't look like he had liquor forced down his throat."

"No but he doesn't act like this," Regina said. "Not without someone egging him on. Joseph does not party."

"_Joe_ does whatever he wants to do," Joe argued.

Cory rolled her eyes, tuning out their argument. She turned back to John, who was now leaning against the wall, gingerly touching the side of his face.

"Mark," Dawn came out into the hall, touching his arm. "Come inside, you look like you need to lay down."

Regina and Joe were already making their way toward the elevator, still arguing.

Dawn got Mark inside her room and then turned back, "Cory?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll take care of him," she said, looking over at John.

"I'll see you in the morning," Dawn said.

"Come on Cena," Cory said, draping his heavy arm around her shoulders. She wasn't exactly sure where his room was so she'd have to take him to hers.

She rolled her eyes again, "This night just gets better and better."

-----------------------------------

Taylor jumped when she heard knocking on her door. She looked at the clock, frowning when she saw that it was after 2. Who would be knocking on her door? She got up, yawning as she walked over to the door. She looked out the peep hole, surprised to see Chris. She quickly opened the door.

"Chris?" she stared. She knew within seconds that something was..off. He was smiling but not his normal smile. It was lazier. And he was leaning heavily to one side.

"Are you drunk?" she asked.

"YessIam," he slurred. "Can I comen?"

She nodded, stepping aside. He stumbled in and she caught him before he fell, using her foot to close the door, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, turning so that their faces were close together, "Mbetter now."

She normally steered clear of drunk people but Chris didn't seem to pose any immediate threat. She guided him over to the couch, struggling a little under his weight. When they finally made it, she let him go, turning around to get the TV remote. She jumped when she heard a loud thump, turning to see that he'd apparently missed the couch when he tried to sit down.

"Oh God," he winced in pain. "I think I just broke my ass."

"I doubt that," Taylor laughed, putting her hands under his arms to pull him up.

He laughed, pushing her hands away, "That tickles."

Taylor shook her head. He definitely wasn't a threat.

"Come on," she grabbed his arm, trying to pull him up without tickling him.

"Be careful," he advised. "I swear, I broke it."

"Chris you cant break your ass," Taylor tried her best to keep a straight face. She got up him onto the couch but when he sat down, he winced again.

"How do you know?" he asked as she gently pushed him so he was laying on his side.

"Your ass isn't a bone," she said. "You can break your _tailbone_ but trust me, you didn't. You'd be in a _lot_ more pain."

"How do you know?" he asked again, looking up at her with defiant blue eyes. "Who says I'm not in enough pain?"

She gave him a look but he was still waiting for an answer so she poked him under his arm. He laughed, pushing her hand away again.

"See, you wouldn't giggle if you broke your tailbone," she said, getting up to get him some water.

He thought about it for a second and then nodded, apparently satisfied with her explanation. He looked back up at her, "You're smart."

"Sometimes," she shrugged, getting a bottle of water out of the mini-fridge.

"Have you ever broken _your_ tailbone?" he asked. He laughed a little repeating the word slowly, "Taaaiilbooone."

She shook her head, wondering how long this tailbone fascination would last.

"That's actually one of the few bones I _haven't_ broken. My mother broke hers once," she said, taking the cap off of the water bottle. "Drink this."

He drank some of the water and then handed the bottle back to her, looking up at her.

"What?" she asked, putting the bottle down on the coffee table.

"You've never said anything about your mother before," he said.

She hadn't even realized the slip until he pointed it out. She ran a hand over her tangled hair, "Yeah well..you're probably too drunk to remember this tomorrow."

"Howcome you don't talk about your family?" he asked. Something about his tone was so innocent and sweet, it was almost like a child asking where babies come from. But this question was much more difficult to answer.

"There's no family to talk about," she sighed. "Just..me."

"Y'know…you're not alone now," he said. He tried to put his hand over hers but he missed it by a few inches and if she hadn't been sitting there, he would have fallen off of the couch. She gently pushed him so that he was laying on his back and she moved down to sit on the floor beside the couch so that their faces were closer together, "Thank you..Now why don't you try to get some sleep."

"I mean it," he said. "Wanna know somethin' else?"

She rested her chin on the couch cushion, knowing that if she didn't listen, there was no way she was getting him to go to sleep, "What?"

He moved closer as if he was about to tell her a secret.

"I think..I think I'm falling in love with you," he whispered.

She'd half expected him to tell her he broke his ass again so she was completely caught off guard by his admission. What was she supposed to say? Did she laugh it off as the rambling of a drunk man? He was looking at her but he didn't look like he was waiting for an answer. She could see in his eyes that even though the admission came with the help of alcohol, he meant it. He'd done too much for her, tried too hard to get her to trust him, he wouldn't lie to her. Not about that. She didn't understand why he would fall for her. She wasn't the warmest person in the world. She was secretive and moody. She freaked out at the drop of a hat. She was a mess. She closed her eyes, resting her forehead on the couch. She'd never been in love before. She had no idea what it was supposed to feel like. But she cared about Chris. She trusted Chris as much as she could trust anyone. He made her smile. He made her life. He made her feel safer than anyone ever had. And that terrified her. Because the more she felt for him, the more attached she got to him…The more she stood to lose.

"You don't have to say anything," he said, touching her hair. "I jus thought you should know."

She took a deep breath and looked up at him, "Okay."

His eyelids were drooping and she stood up, taking off his shoes and dropping them on the floor. She got the wastebasket from the corner and moved it near the couch. He didn't seem drunk enough to throw up but she wanted it there just in case. She got a pillow off of her bed and came back, motioning for him to sit up. When he did, she placed the pillow beneath his head and he laid back down. She knelt beside him once again, brushing his hair away from his handsome face. He smiled at her and she placed a soft kiss on his cheek, "Go to bed."

"Okay," he said, snuggling into his pillow.

She got up, walking toward her bed.

"Taylor?"

"Hm?" she turned.

"Are you a government assassin?" he asked.

She laughed, "Not last I checked."

"Good," he said.

"Now _sleep_," she said, crawling into bed and turning off the light. "Try not to fall and break your ass."

-----------------------------------

"_Cooory_," John said her name loudly, right into her ear.

"_What_?" she asked, irritated. That was the third time he'd done that without any follow up.

"You're pretty," he smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes, grateful that they'd finally reached her door. She was strong but having 240 pounds of drunken John Cena leaning on her was extremely difficult.

She nudged him with her shoulder so he was leaning against the door while she got her key out of her pocket.

"Especially your eyes," he smiled at her. "They're so.._blue_."

"Thanks John," she said, unlocking the door and pushing it open, causing him to fall. He sat on the floor, back against the door, looking around, trying to figure out what happened to him.

She shook her head, stepping over his legs and entering the dark room. She put down her key, turning and watching him for a few seconds. He didn't seem to be making any move to get up.

She rolled her eyes, walking over and grabbing his arm. She had to use all her weight to pull him up. She'd forgotten her shoes in Dawn's room so her feet were slipping on the floor but she managed to get him on his feet. She almost fell herself but he put his arms around her, holding her up. He held her for a few seconds, studying her face.

"Try to kiss me and you're sleeping in the hall," she warned him.

He frowned, "You ever gonna forgive me?"

"No," she shook her head, sliding out of his grasp and walking over to turn on her bedside lamp. She heard him walking behind her and then she heard a thump, then the springs of her mattress squeaking. Once the light was on, she turned, sighing when she saw him sprawled, face down on the bed.

He groaned into the comforter, "I drank too much."

"Ya think?" she laughed.

"I don't feel good," he took a deep breath and then closed his eyes.

"Take a shower," she suggested. "It'll sober you up a little."

He shook his head, "Don't wanna move."

"Too bad," she crawled onto the bed, rolling him over onto his back, "Get up."

"I cant," he looked up at the ceiling. The fan was on and his face grew pale. He pointed up at the fan, "Making me dizzy."

She rolled her eyes, he really wasn't going to make this easy on her. She moved a little closer to him, putting her hand on his chest, "Close your eyes."

He did as he was told and she leaned over him, putting her other hand over his eyes to make it as dark as possible.

"Take a deep breath," she instructed. He breathed in deeply.

"Let it out," she said.

She talked him through a few more deep breaths and then moved her hand away from his eyes, "Still feel dizzy?"

"No, it's better," he said, eyes still closed.

"Okay, now get up and get in the shower," she said.

"Cant," he shook his head slowly.

"Yes you can," she said.

"Cant," he shook his head again.

She rolled her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I don't feel good," he informed her once again. "Help me."

"I'm trying to help you but you wont get up," she glared.

"I cant," he said. "I'm drunk..and I cant see."

"That's because your eyes are closed," she resisted the urge to smack him.

"They are?" he asked.

Cory could see that she was going to have to help him into the shower before he puked on her bed.

"I hate you," she said, crawling over and straddling his thighs.

"That doesn't feel like you hate me," he referred to their position.

"Shut up," she got one of his arms out of his jacket and then the other. She grabbed the front of his shirt, needing to pull him up to move the jacket. He didn't budge.

"I cant get up," he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes, clenching his shirt tighter and leaning back, using most of her weight. Once she got him into a sitting position, his face fell right into her chest.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," she shook her head.

He mumbled something against her breasts but she couldn't understand him.

"What?" she leaned back, holding his head up with both of her hands.

"You smell good," he repeated.

She let his head go, putting her hands out to steady herself when his head fell back onto her breasts. She got up on her knees, careful not to push him backwards, inadvertently causing his head to nestle right between her breasts. She was going to get him back for this in the morning. Fortunately she was blessed with long, lanky arms. She managed to reach behind him, grab his jacket and toss it to the floor. She was having a hell of a time with all of his weight on her chest. There would be no need to work out in the morning. She reached down, grabbing the hem of his t-shirt with both hands and pulling it up. She had to use her chest to push him back and as he started falling she pulled the shirt up over his head. He hit the mattress before she could get it off of his arms and the result was the very amusing imagine of him laying beneath her with his shirt holding his arms above his head.

"Are you tying me up?" he asked.

"You wish," she got off of him and stood beside the bed, taking the shirt in her hands and sliding it off his arms.

"Cooorry," he called her name.

"What?" she asked, kneeling beside him on the bed and undoing his belt.

"Nothing," he laughed.

She shook her head, once again tempted to smack him.

"Coooory," he called again.

"_What_?" she asked, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans.

"Nothing," he laughed.

She got off the bed again, this time on the other end, pulling off his shoes and socks.

"Cory."

She picked up one of his shoes and hit him on the thigh with it, "Stop it."

"Ouch," he finally opened his eyes, looking down at her. "Why'd you hit me?"

"Because you're an annoying drunk," she dropped the show, grabbing the bottom of his shorts and pulling them off, dropping them onto the floor. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at him. She was mad at him, yes, but it was hard not to stare at his body. Damn him for being so attractive. There wasn't a single thing about it that wasn't perfectly chiseled.

"Asshole," she hit him on the leg again, this time with her hand.

"Ouch," he frowned at her. "What was that for?"

"For being an asshole," she said, taking his hand. "Get up."

She got him onto his feet once again but he didn't walk. Instead, he rested his head on her shoulder, "Cory."

"John, I swear-"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, his lips touching her skin where her neck and shoulder met. She nearly fell to her knees right then and there. That was a very sensitive area for her. One that he'd paid very special attention to, among many others, not 24 hours earlier.

_Then proceeded to tell everyone he could about it…Asshole_

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said.

"Whatever," she said. "Come on."

She led him toward the bathroom. He was having trouble moving his feet and she decided that if he fell again, she was leaving him wherever he lay and going to bed. They made it to the bathroom and she used her foot to push the door open. She dragged him inside and he leaned against the wall while she turned the water on. Once everything was set, she turned to him, "You're on your own from here."

"Thanks," he smiled drunkenly at her.

She sighed, wanting to feel bad for him. She couldn't though. She still felt stupid. She should have stuck to her first instincts.

"Just get in the shower."

-----------------------------------

Dawn came back into the room with a cold, damp cloth. Mark was worse off than she'd initially thought. He'd thrown up twice. She definitely wasn't used to that. He could hold his liquor better than anyone she knew. He was sitting on the edge of her bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his head hanging. She hated seeing him like that. She'd never done well with seeing him sick. She took a deep breath, walking over and kneeling behind him on the bed. She brushed his hair off of his neck and gently ran the towel over his skin. He jumped when he first felt it but after a few seconds he relaxed. The only sound in the room was their breathing. She hated being awkward around him. She hated this.._distance_ between them. She put the towel down, resting her head on his shoulder, just wanting everything to go back to normal. Back to the beginning of their relationship when everything was pure and good and.._simple_. He took a deep breath and reached back, running his hand over her hair, "I love you darlin'…You know that, don't you?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. She was grateful that they were in the dark and he wasn't facing her. Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears. All she could do was stay quiet and hope he didn't notice. She put her arms around his waist, leaning against him. She'd always wondered how someone so solid and hard could feel so comfortable.

"Are you crying?" he asked.

How did he do that? She wasn't saying anything, no tears had fallen on him..She was making sure to keep her breathing normal..How did he always just _know_?

She shook her head, "No."

"Why are you crying?" he asked, completely ignoring her denial.

She sighed, gently resting her forehead against the back of his neck, "I just am."

He took her hands in his, moving her arms so that he could turn to face her. She looked away but he took her chin in his hand, turning her to him, looking into her eyes, "Dawn..I-"

Before he could finish, Dawn surprised both of them. She put her hands on the sides of his face and kissed him. She kissed him passionately, desperately and he returned the kiss with the same energy. Hands tangled in hair, Mark snaked one arm around her, moving her as close as possible. Dawn's eyes were closed tightly and she tried to lose herself in the kiss. Lose herself in him. And she did…almost. But she couldn't. She couldn't let herself. Tears clumped her eyelashes and fell down her cheeks and before she knew it, she was full on crying. Mark was the one to stop the kiss, his forehead resting against hers. She wanted so badly to control her sobbing but she couldn't. This was all too much.

"What?" he asked, concerned. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," she shook her head.

"Stop telling me nothing," he said, frustrated. "You don't cry like this for nothing. _Talk_ to me."

"I cant," she shook her head. "I cant, I cant."

"Yes you can," he argued.

"No I cant," she opened her eyes, looking directly into his. "Not now…Just, _please_ don't push me right now."

He looked defeated, confused, and exhausted. She felt the same way.

"I think we both need to go to bed," she said, wiping her eyes, breathing heavily. "You can sleep on the couch."

He nodded and got up without another word, walking over to the couch. She watched his form moving in the dark, pulling her knees up to her chest. He laid down and was out of her sight but she knew he wasn't sleeping. She probably wouldn't sleep either. Not with him so close. So close but so damn far away. She clenched her teeth, holding back more sobs as she laid down, looking up at the ceiling. She put her hand over her stomach, closing her eyes. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

-----------------------------------

Jessica's legs were beginning to go numb. She'd gotten Hunter to her room and was trying to get him to sleep when he draped himself over her legs and promptly passed out. She'd tried a few times to roll him off but he wasn't moving. She shook her head, laughing a little at the image of her close friend. His hair was over his face, rising and falling as he breathed, his mouth hanging wide open and, oddly enough, one of his hands was on the back of his head. If she could reach her camera, she would have taken a picture.

"You are gonna hear about this in the morning, Hunter," she said softly, laughing. Then, she remembered that her phone was on the bedside table. Fortunately long arms were in her genes and she was just barely able to reach it. She held it up, pressing the button for the camera and just when she had it focused, the damn thing started vibrating, signaling that she was getting a call.

"Damn it!" she whispered loudly, glaring at the phone. It was especially aggravating when she saw who was calling.

_James_

She pressed the answer button, pressing the phone to her ear, "Hello?"

"Jessica?" James asked.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Why are you whispering?" he asked.

"Long story," Jessica whispered. "What's up?"

"Listen…I was calling to tell you I got the Wrestlemania tickets you had mailed," he said.

"And?" she smiled. Despite their problems, she was excited for him to come to the show."

"I didn't realize what day it was honey," he said. "I cant go."

"Excuse me?" she said, struggling to keep her voice down. "What the hell do you mean you cant go?"

"I have a business trip," he answered. "I wont be back until Monday."

"Screw your business trip," she said. "Your girlfriend is wrestling in the biggest most important show of the year."

"And I'm proud of you," he said. "But I cant make it."

"You cant make it?" she laughed. "You cant make it. James, I swear to God…"

"Honey, it's not like this is the last Wrestlemania ever," he said. "Relax."

She pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at it. That was it. That was the last straw. She was done. Without saying anything else to him, she ended the call and turned her ringer off. A business trip? He'd promised her that he would be there. She'd repeatedly told him how important this was to her and now he was making it seem like it was nothing. It paled in comparison to the importance of his stupid little business trip. She crossed her arms, glaring at nothing in particular. Well if Wrestlemania wasn't important to him, then _she_ wasn't important to him and she wasn't going to take it anymore. Her family had been right, Cory, John, Hunter..everyone. She hadn't been herself with James.

"Well that ends now," she glared at the phone before tossing it onto the bed beside her. She wasn't going to call him back and end things. She had to wait. She wanted to do it in person so she could see his boring little face. She smiled, thinking of different ways that she could do it. She jumped when Hunter rolled onto his back, still on her legs. She debated waking him up and telling him to move but she wasn't really uncomfortable. She laughed a little, remembering why she picked up the phone in the first place. She was supposed to be taking a picture.

-----------------------------------

John walked out of the bathroom, rubbing his head. He was tired, his stomach was still a little uneasy and his face hurt like hell. He'd taken a long shower and he felt a little better. He looked around the dark room, wanting to thank Cory for making him take the shower but he didn't see her at first. He frowned, about ready to turn on the light but then he saw her. She was curled up on the couch, the TV remote in her hand. He smiled, walking over and taking it from her, placing it gently on the coffee table. He wasn't sure if he should put her in bed or not. She probably didn't want him touching her. He sat down beside her, watching as she breathed softly. He really was an idiot. Just when he was getting somewhere with her, just when things were looking good…he messed it up. There had to be something he could do. Something he could say. He wasn't giving up on this. He didn't want the first time he woke up beside her to be the last.

_God I'm a wuss sometimes_

He raised his hand, running his finger over her cheek. She made a contented noise and moved closer to him. He smiled, knowing that she would hate that. She was definitely the most stubborn person he knew. And she was probably going to slap him for it but he put his arm around her, moving her close to him and kissing the top of her head. He was going to regret it in the morning but at that moment, he just wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms again.

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	34. Chapter 34

**Alright my peeps, here is the next chapter...As always, big hugs to you for the reviews, I really do appreciate them. I finished this in the middle of the night because my boyfriend has a tendency to hog the bed and yet throw all the sheets and everything on me so I cant sleep. I'll try to get the next one started but I might camp out on the couch first so the next chapter makes sense. Hope you like it. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 34...**

John woke up, rubbing his eyes. He was expecting Cory to still be curled up beside him but he quickly realized that she wasn't. He yawned, looking around the room and spotted her, standing beside the bed wearing jeans but no shirt yet, just a red bra. He cleared his throat to get her attention but she barely looked at him, rifling through her suitcase.

_Okay…she's still mad_

He got up to walk over to her but he underestimated his hangover. His legs were wobbly and he tripped over something on the floor, or maybe just his own feet. He felt pain on his right knee when he hit the ground.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed.

"What'd you do?" Cory asked, her voice cold.

He sat up, looking down at his leg. He had quite a scrape on his knee.

_Good Job Cena, you're in third grade all over again_

"I scraped it," he winced, trying to stand up. He exaggerated his limp slightly to gauge her reaction. She rolled her eyes but walked over to him, helping him sit back down on the couch.

"What are you? A third grader?" she asked, voice still devoid of any emotion. It bothered him. A lot. This wasn't her. Whether she was happy or furious, laughing or yelling, there was always _something_ in her voice. She didn't even seem to take joy in making fun of him.

She walked into the bathroom and then brought out a first-aid kit.

"There's probably a band-aid in here," she sat on the coffee table in front of him, opening the kit, carefully avoiding his gaze. John sighed, she wasn't going to make this easy.

"Cory…Can we talk?"

She shrugged, looking through the contents of the kit.

"Okay," he sighed. "Listen…I'm sorry. I'm _really_ sorry."

She found a bandage and set it aside then pulled out some cotton balls and some sort of ointment, probably Neosporin.

"I'm sorry about what happened at Mike Morrison," he said, hoping she would look at him soon or acknowledge him in some way. "I didn't think it would get out the way it did."

She cleaned off his scrape, still not looking at his face.

"I'm a guy..And I'm a jerk sometimes..but I didn't mean for that to happen," he said.

Nothing, not a raised brow, a twitch of the lips, nothing. She just carefully tended to his 'injury'.

"I know you were embarrassed and if there was anything I could do to fix it, I'd do it," he said as she rubbed Neosporin on the scrape. "I was just hoping that we could maybe…"

She quickly put the square bandage over his scrape and then got up, cleaning up after herself without a single word.

"Cory," he stood up. "Cant you just talk to me?"

She walked over to the bed, picking up a pink shirt and putting it on.

"Cory," he said, growing frustrated.

She finally looked at him but before anything else happened, someone knocked on the door.

"Oh come on," he threw his hands up, aggravated. She walked to the door and he felt for whoever it was. She was definitely in a mood.

"Good morning."

John looked up, surprised to hear Randy's voice. He was gonna get it. If she was mad at him, she would definitely not be happy to see Randy.

"Good morning."

John stared as she cheerfully greeted Randy with a hug.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

"I think so," she picked up her purse and stepped into her shoes. She looked around the room, skipping over John completely, "Yeah I'm ready."

Randy offered his arm and she accepted it, smiling. Randy gave John a small wave before they left the room.

John stared at the door, "What the fuck…?"

-----------------------------------

Taylor walked out of the bathroom, running her brush through her hair. She'd been up for almost two hours. She'd called Jeff to check on Viveca, made arrangements for Trish to replace her boss at an autograph signing, and ordered room service. Meanwhile, Chris was still passed out on the couch. She walked over, looking down at him. He had one arm over his head and the other across his stomach. His hair was all over, his t-shirt was riding up and one of his socks was coming off. He looked very cute when he was sleeping. He looked cute all of the time really. She hated to have to wake him but she wanted him to be up when breakfast got there. She walked around to the front of the couch, kneeling beside it.

"Chris," she said his name, gently shaking his shoulder.

"No," he mumbled, rolling over.

She laughed, her hand still on his shoulder, "Chris..come on..wake up."

He wiggled his shoulder away from her, rolling onto his stomach, "Go away."

She laughed, running her hand over his hair, "Come on, time to get up."

After a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open and he stared at her, not saying anything.

"You with me?" she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Just barely," he mumbled, his face pressed against the cushion. "How much did I drink last night?"

"I have no idea," she shook her head. "How's your tailbone?"

"What?" he stared.

She laughed, shaking her head, "You don't remember that, huh?"

"Oh God," he rubbed the side of his head. "What did I say?"

"Well, you fell on the floor and insisted that you broke your ass until I explained to you that you can only break your tailbone, and you asked me if I was a government assassin."

He groaned, closing his eyes, "Anything else?"

_I think..I think I'm falling in love with you_

"Nothing worth mentioning," she shook her head. "Those were the drunken highlights."

She chose to omit his admission because he was drunk and probably didn't mean it anyway. There was a whole lot of reasons why he shouldn't fall in love with her and very few reasons why he should. It wasn't logical and they would probably never speak of it again. Though she would probably store it away to remember later. Even though it didn't count, it was nice to hear.

"I ordered breakfast," she announced, standing up.

"I'm sorry if I was an idiot last night," he started to sit up. When he did, he winced in pain, "Oh _God_."

"Maybe you should lay back down for a little while," she suggested, guiding him back into a flat position.

"You're right," he nodded, resting his head on the pillow. "Wow, my head hurts."

She walked over to her bedside table and got him an aspirin. She came back, opening the water bottle she'd given him the night before, "Here..take this."

"Thanks," he took the pill then gave her a sheepish smile, "So…what are your plans for the day?"

"Nothing really," she shrugged. "I'm off."

"Well," he said. "Once I start feeling better..would you consider spending the day with me, my bruised ego, and my even more bruised tailbone?"

She smiled, "I would be delighted.

-----------------------------------

Mark sat up as slowly as possible, not wanting to aggravate the pounding in his head. The damn Sun was trying it's best to get through his eyelids and make his headache worse but he put a hand over his face, walking slowly to the window and closing the drapes. Once the room was sufficiently dark, he removed his hand, still squinting. He looked around the room for Dawn but didn't see her anywhere. He wanted to talk to her about the night before. About the way she broke down after they kissed. They had some serious issues to work out. Apparently she didn't agree because as he searched the bathroom and anywhere else she could be hiding, it became apparent that she was gone. He was surprised to see that there was toast and coffee on a tray on the coffee table. He walked over, snatching a piece of toast up and plopping down on the couch. She really was the single most confusing woman he'd ever dealt with. Ring rats wanted to sleep with a wrestler. Gold diggers wanted to get in his good graces and take as much money as they could. Women like that came with a very clear motivation. He didn't like it but at least he could understand it. Dawn…Dawn was completely different. She avoided him like the plague but she'd been the one to kiss him. She left the room before he could wake up because she didn't want to see him but ordered him toast and coffee first. He finished off the toast and quickly downed the coffee before getting up, knowing there was no use in waiting for her. She would stay away as long as possible until she knew for sure that he was gone. He straightened up a little and then left the room, head still pounding as he walked down the hall. He reached into his pocket, grateful that he still had his cell phone. He'd lost quite a few of those damn things on heavy drinking nights. They were too small and easy to misplace. He pressed the number 2 and turned the volume down before placing the phone to his ear, glad that Hunter had showed him how to use speed dial.

"Good Morning Deadman!"

"Jesus Christ kid," he pulled the phone away from his ear. After a second he replaced it, "Is there any particular reason that you just yelled into my ear?"

"There is," he could hear the smile in her voice. "It has something to do with you coming to Dawn's room in the middle of the night and starting a fight in the hallway."

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. He'd almost forgotten about punching John. He didn't normally let things get out of hand like that but he was drunk, he had a lot on his mind, and John had crossed the line with Cory.

"I did what had to be done," he said.

"Yeah well I had to take care of his drunk ass after you clocked him," she said. "So now I'm mad at you."

"You cant be mad at me," he reminded her. "And _why_ would you take care of him?"

"I don't know, someone had to," she said. "I thought you two were friends."

"We are," Mark said. "But you know damn well if anybody messes with you, they deal with the consequences."

She laughed, "Well thank you."

"Where are you?" he asked, trying to remember where her room was. He was going to take her to breakfast.

"Down the street from the hotel," she said. "I'm having breakfast with Randy."

"Randy?" Mark frowned. That was odd. He knew she and Randy were getting along and that he, thankfully, wasn't hitting on her anymore but he didn't know they spent much time together outside of work. At least not alone.

"Yes _Dad_, Randy," she laughed. "You wanna join us?"

"No kid, you enjoy yourself, eat a plate for me," he said.

"I'll try," she laughed. "Hey…are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Just crotchety and tired."

"Did anything happen last night with Dawn?" she asked.

"Yes and no," he said. "I'll tell you about it later, go back to your breakfast."

"You sure?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm sure, it can wait a few hours," he said. "I'll see you."

"Bye."

He ended the call and then pressed the number 3. Glenn's phone went straight to voicemail. He rolled his eyes, one of his two best friends needed to be available. Glenn usually slept late and he turned his phone off at night so he probably just needed to be woken up. Mark decided that would have to be his job today, he needed someone to talk to.

-----------------------------------

"I cant believe you suggested that," Cory laughed.

"I try to keep things interesting," Randy shrugged, glad he'd managed to keep her laughing for a while. They were having a very good time at breakfast, discussing their upcoming angle leading into Wrestlemania. They were both excited about it.

"I just wish John didn't have to be involved," she rested her chin in her hand.

"Come on now, you have to admit it's good writing," he said, though he would be happy if the subject of John weren't brought up again for a while.

She glared at him for a second but broke into a smirk, "I guess I'm just bitter."

"I understand," he said, putting his hand over hers. He gave her a dramatic look, "I'm here for you."

She laughed, slapping his hand, "That's it..I swear, I'm done talking about John."

"Good," he smiled. Now she could focus her attention on him.

"So..how's Portia?" she smiled. "I haven't had a chance to talk to her too much lately."

Randy shrugged, "She's okay I guess…I don't really wanna talk about her right now."

Cory smirked, "You don't?"

"Don't say that like it's such a shock," he laughed.

"It is," she said. She shrugged, "I don't know, I was half expecting this breakfast to be about you wanting some advice on how to get things going with her."

"It's not," he assured her. "Look at me..I don't need advice on how to get a woman."

She smiled, "You probably don't."

"I don't," he said. He smiled at her, "Besides, I'm setting my sights on someone else."

-----------------------------------

"So," Glenn smiled as Jacinda climbed back into bed after turning the heat up. "Do you have any work to do today or do I get you all to myself?"

"I'm free for the day," she smiled, snuggling up to him again.

"Good," he said, wrapping an arm around her. "I wasn't planning on letting you out of bed anyway."

She laughed, "Whatever you say Mr. Jacobs."

"How do you like your job so far?" he asked, lazily running his hands through her hair.

"I like it," she nodded. "I like Cory as a boss…I don't know about her taste in men though..I see a lot of drama in her future."

Glenn laughed, withholding comment, "Let's talk about _your_ taste in men..What's your type?"

She laughed, "Hmmm…Tall, definitely tall…In great shape..brown hair, light eyes..Perfect arms..Big feet. Definitely big feet."

He laughed, "Sounds like you're aiming pretty high."

"Oh I always do," she smiled. "Now tell me..what's _your_ type?"

"Well," he said. "I'm with you on the brown hair…Probably about 5'6" give or take an inch..hazel eyes..fantastic rack."

She laughed, slapping his chest.

"What?" he laughed. "They are wonderful."

"Thank you," she laughed.

He watched her face as she laughed, taking in every inch, cataloging the image in his brain. He didn't know how or why but he was starting to fall for her.

"I have a question," he said.

"And that is?" she waited.

"What would you think if I asked you to work for me?" he asked. "I promise I'm not trying to steal you from Cory but..maybe we could share."

She smiled brightly, "I'd like that…I asked Cory yesterday what she would think of me working with other people and she said she'd be fine with it."

Glenn smiled, "Great, you're hired."

"Wait..does that mean we have to stop this and keep our relationship strictly professional?" she tried for a very serious expression.

"Absolutely not," he smiled. "You know, you could probably take on another person..Maybe Mark."

If there was one thing Glenn knew about Mark it was that he hated having to deal with the mundane details of traveling. He hated booking flights, making arrangements for hotels and rental cars. He just wanted to work, eat, and sleep.

She shrugged, "Well, that would be up to him."

"Trust me, he'd go for it," Glenn assured her. "He needs the help."

-----------------------------------

"Your mother cant be that bad," Randy laughed.

Cory had been telling him amusing stories about Adelle for a few minutes and she could see that he was skeptical.

"My mom sounds like a mythical creature until you meet her," Cory laughed. "Trust me, no matter how bad I say she is, she's worse."

Randy shook his head, "I guess I should be happy that my mother is normal."

"You should," she said. "You should be _very_ happy."

Randy was about to say something but Cory's phone beeped loudly.

"Sorry," she smiled, pulling it out of her purse. She considered just turning it off but then she saw that she had a text message from Dawn.

_Need 2 talk 2 you right away, Meet me in my room ASAP_

Cory frowned, putting her phone away. Dawn wasn't a drama queen, if she said something was urgent, it was urgent. She was having fun with Randy but she needed to find out what was going on.

She gave Randy an apologetic look.

"Oh don't tell me you have to go," he said.

"It's Dawn, apparently it's urgent," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Well," Randy smirked. "I'll let you go on one condition."

She laughed, "And what is that?"

"You meet me for drinks tonight," he said.

"Providing that I'm not still dealing with drama," she got up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You have yourself a deal Mr. Orton."

He reached out his hand and she shook it, "I'll see you later."

-----------------------------------

Mark knocked hard on Glenn's door. If his friend was asleep, a light knock would do absolutely no good. He waited a few seconds and was poised to knock again when the door swung open. Mark didn't see anyone at first but then he looked down, seeing Jacinda, practically drowning in one of Glenn's t-shirts.

"Is Glenn here?" he asked, feeling a little awkward.

She nodded, "Sure, he just got out of the shower, come on in."

Mark walked into the room and she closed the door behind them. Apparently Glenn's dinner had gone well. Glenn walked out of the bathroom in a pair of sweatpants, "Well, you look like hell this morning."

"I feel like it," Mark laughed as Glenn patted him on the back. "I need to talk to you."

"I need to talk to you too," Glenn smiled.

"Oh Lord," Mark rolled his eyes. When Glenn smiled like that it was because he had an idea. And Mark loved Glenn like family but he rarely loved his ideas.

"What now?" Mark asked.

"Jacinda and I were talking earlier and I've decided to hire her to be my assistant," Glenn said.

"I thought she was Cory's assistant," Mark said.

"I am," she confirmed. "But I can take on more than one client at a time considering you all travel together."

Mark nodded.

"Anyway, I was thinking about how much you hate doing all your reservations and things like that and I thought that maybe she could help you out," Glenn smiled.

Mark looked over at Jacinda to see her reaction to this.

She shrugged, "I understand if you don't need me. Glenn's getting a little ahead of himself."

"Oh come on, Mark would love to work with you, _Right_?" Glenn gave him a look.

Mark frowned, not enjoying being put on the spot like this.

"You know, I had been toying with the idea of hiring somebody to do all that but..I was actually going to talk to Taylor about it today," Mark gave them both a somewhat apologetic look.

It wasn't a complete lie. He had been thinking about it and if he was going to hire someone, it would be Taylor. She was smart, she seemed good at her job, and he'd know her for more than a few days unlike this woman. In fact, he would probably talk to her about it tomorrow.

"No offense Jacinda," he said.

"None taken," she smiled. "I'll probably have my hands full dealing with Cory _and_ this one."

Mark forced a laugh but this wasn't what he came to talk about.

"Look, I need to talk to you," Mark looked at Glenn.

"Okay," Glenn said, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "What's up?"

"It's about Dawn," Mark gave him a pointed expression. He didn't want to talk about his relationship issues in front of a stranger.

"Alright," Glenn sighed. "Just let me hop in the shower and we'll go grab some food."

Mark didn't like the way Glenn was acting. Putting him on the spot, expecting him to open up in front of Jacinda..Now he wanted him to wait while he primped just to go get some food. He would chew him out later, he didn't have the energy at the moment.

"You know, never mind," Mark shook his head. "I think I'm gonna go get some more sleep."

"You sure?" Glenn asked.

"Yeah," Mark answered. "I'll talk to ya later."

-----------------------------------

When Cory got to Dawn's room, she was surprised to see the door cracked open. She suddenly grew very anxious, thinking back to Dawn's urgent message. Her heart started beating faster and she closed her eyes, putting her hand on the doorknob and gently pushing it open. She opened her eyes, looking around. There was an open suitcase on the bed but Dawn was nowhere in sight. Her heart rate sped up even more as she walked into the room, looking around. Where the hell was Dawn?

"Hey."

Cory squeaked, nearly jumping out of her skin when she heard Dawn's voice behind her. She turned to see Dawn walk out of the bathroom.

"Dawn!" Cory stared at her friend. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

-----------------------------------

"Sorry," Dawn laughed a little, giving Cory a quick hug. "I didn't hear you come in."

Cory put a hand to her chest, "I am way too young for heart problems."

"You don't have heart problems," Dawn said, walking over to the bed. She was waiting for Cory to notice the suitcase. She had asked her to come but for some reason she didn't want to be the one to bring it up. She wasn't sure if she could do this but she knew she had to.

It didn't take too long.

"What's up with this?" Cory walked over to the bed. "We don't have to leave until tomorrow morning."

Dawn closed her eyes for a second then looked into her friend's eyes, "I know…but..I'm leaving today."

"Why?" Cory looked confused.

"I'm uh…I'm not going with the rest of you," Dawn said, looking down. She picked up a shirt, folding and placing it in the bag, avoiding Cory's gaze.

"Okay, you know what," she could hear the frustration in Cory's voice. "That's it…That is it Dawn. You are going to tell me what's going on with you and you're gonna tell me _right now_."

"Cory-"

"I don't understand why you feel like you cant talk to me all of a sudden but it's driving me nuts," Cory said. "I'm supposed to be your best friend. You've been acting crazy and I need to know why."

Dawn sighed, knowing that she was right. She ran a hand through her hair, looking at her friend, "Okay..I'll tell you..but you um..you should probably sit down."

Cory shook her head, "No thanks."

Dawn knew she wouldn't sit down. She never did when you told her to. She felt tears begin to fill her eyes and she grew more nervous by the second. She thought she was prepared for this but now, with Cory standing there, waiting, she wasn't sure if she could do it anymore.

"Dawn," Cory looked worried. "What is going on?"

"I'm pregnant," Dawn said before she even realized it.

Cory stared for a second and Dawn knew she was trying to figure out if she'd heard her right.

Dawn nodded in confirmation.

"_What_?" Cory exclaimed.

Dawn took a deep breath, "A while ago..while you were gone…me and Mark.."

She shook her head, taking another deep breath. She had to do this. She had to tell _someone_.

"Mark and I..we were _really, really_ drunk one night..I don't even remember everything and neither does he…All I know is when we woke up, there were no clothes and I had a _serious_ hangover. I figured we had sex but I wasn't sure…until I started getting sick every morning and gaining weight and…now I'm sure."

"Oh my God," Cory said, her voice nearly a whisper as she put her hand over her mouth. "D, you're _pregnant_? You're absolutely positive?"

Dawn nodded.

Cory's face scrunched in confusion, "Wait..why didn't you tell me sooner? Does Mark know?"

Dawn shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"I cant believe this," Cory shook her head. "Dawn…"

"I couldn't tell you because I didn't know what to do," Dawn said, trying to keep herself from crying. "I didn't know what to think, I didn't know if I could even say it…I _wanted_ to tell you Cory but I just…I needed to figure out some things first."

"And what did you figure out?" Cory asked.

"That I have to leave," Dawn said. "I obviously cant work. I already got a leave of absence I…I just need to go home and try to stay healthy. After the last time I have to be _incredibly_ careful."

Cory nodded, "Yeah but..you have to tell Mark."

"No," Dawn shook her head. "No I don't."

"_Yes_, Dawn, _you do_," Cory argued. "This is his baby too."

"And it was his baby before," Dawn said, feeling tears begin to fall from her eyes. "And we both know how that turned out."

"I understand what you're saying, _I do_," Cory insisted. "But Mark _loves_ you Dawn, _desperately_. It wouldn't turn out like it did before. Maybe this is exactly what you two needed."

Dawn could feel her hands shaking and she shook her head, "I cant…I cant risk it. I cant handle losing another baby."

"You _wont_," Cory insisted. "Mark will take care of you."

"Cory, you don't know that!" Dawn yelled.

Cory looked stricken when Dawn yelled and she immediately felt guilty. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her feelings, she needed her right now it was just that..Dawn knew that Cory always had and always would look up to Mark as her big brother and protector. Where she was concerned, Mark could fix anything. But that wasn't the case here. She couldn't think that way.

"I'm sorry," Dawn sniffed. "I just..I cant tell him and I need you to understand that."

"I don't," Cory shook her head, her own eyes beginning to water. "I cant."

Dawn hugged her tightly, running a hand over her hair. Cory was like a sister to her and she needed her support. She needed to know that she would be there. Cory was tense and Dawn pulled away, smoothing Cory's hair again, "I know this is hard…and I feel horrible for what I'm about to ask you to do…"

Cory's bottom lip began to tremble and she stared at her, "You cant _possibly_ expect me to keep this from Mark."

"I _need_ you to," Dawn insisted.

"No," Cory shook her head violently. "No, no.._no _Dawn."

Cory walked away from her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Cory _please_," Dawn cried. "You _cant_ tell him."

Cory stared at her, tears spilling from her eyes and trailing over her cheeks, "I…I.."

"_Please_," Dawn pleaded with her. "I know how important he is to you but I need you to think of how important _I_ am to you..and this baby…_Please_."

Cory lips were still trembling and she looked away, "I would never ask you to do something like this."

"I know you wouldn't," Dawn walked closer to her. "And I wish I didn't have to, but I do."

"No you don't," Cory argued. "You can _tell him_."

"I will..once the baby is born," Dawn said. "But…I just need to make sure that I don't have any of the stress that I had last time. Cory you were there with me the day I lost the baby…You cried with me, you held my hand…You know better than anyone what that did to me."

Cory sat down, running a hand through her hair and then hiding her face in her hands. She took a deep breath and then moved her hands down just enough so that she could look at Dawn again.

"Please," Dawn said. "Cory I cant get through this without you. I need you, I need your support."

"And you need me to lie to Mark," Cory said, staring blankly across the room.

Dawn nodded.

Cory rubbed her eyes for a few seconds and then sighed, "Fine…fine."

"Promise?" Dawn sat beside her.

Cory gave her an angry look.

She knew she was pushing it but she also knew that Cory would never break a promise to her.

"I _promise_ D," Cory assured her. "You want me to pinky swear too?"

"I'm sorry," Dawn hugged her. Cory was stiff for a few seconds but gave in eventually and hugged her back. Dawn didn't know if it was relief or fear or both that made her break down. Whatever it was, it sent a wave of sobs through her. Cory put her arms around her protectively, rocking her back and forth.

"It's gonna be okay Dawn, I promise," Cory insisted. "We'll get through this."

After a few minutes, Dawn calmed down, slowly pulling away. She looked up at Cory, "Do you hate me?"

Cory shook her head, "No…Am I mad at you for making me lie and leaving me with a bunch of crazy people..yes, yes I am..but you know I don't hate you."

Cory offered her a smile but Dawn knew she was just trying to lighten the mood for Dawn's sake. She was definitely upset and she had a right to be. Dawn was asking a lot of her.

"I really don't want you to go," Cory said quietly.

"I know," Dawn sniffed.

"But I know you have to," Cory sighed.

"Once Wrestlemania's over and you're not so busy, you can come visit and help me get ready for your new niece or nephew."

Cory nodded, more tears springing to her eyes, "Yeah…That sounds good."

-----------------------------------

"My head feels like it's gonna fall off," Hunter said, resting his head on the table.

"That's what you get," John said, rubbing his still bruised jaw. "I cant believe you didn't help me."

"I told you, I don't even remember Mark hitting you," Hunter said. "I remember being on the way to the bar and the next thing I know, I wake up in Jessica's room laying across her shins."

"At least you finally got to sleep with Jessie," he laughed. "Or should I say sleep _on_ Jessie."

"Ha ha," Hunter sat up straight, glaring at his friend before downing half of his bottle of water. The waitress had brought their food but neither of them were touching it.

"I usually don't get hangovers," John said, rubbing his head. "They suck."

"Is it a hangover or just a broken heart?" Hunter smirked.

"You think you're funny don't you?" John asked. "At least I got some."

"And got in trouble for telling the whole world about it," Hunter said.

"That wasn't my fault," John insisted. "If you guys hadn't been so interested in someone else getting some, this wouldn't have happened. You need a love life."

"At least I didn't lose my girl to Randy," Hunter laughed.

Then, their joking banter got a little more serious. John had been pretty bothered by Randy coming to pick Cory up that morning. It probably wasn't the best subject to bring up but Hunter couldn't take it back now.

"I did not lose my girl to Randy," John said. "There's nothing going on with her and Randy..And she's not mine…yet."

Hunter sighed, "You sure about that? Because Randy told me that they're going out for drinks tonight."

Hunter didn't want to have to be the one to break this to John but someone had to.

"What?" John made a face. "They already had breakfast together."

"Yeah," Hunter said. "Two dates in one day…kinda sounds like you're losing your girl to Randy."

John shook his head, "Nah, I don't think so..How do you even know they're dates? They're friends. It's just two friends going out for drinks."

"How long have you ever known Randy to remain just friends with someone who looks like Cory?" Hunter asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be my friend?" John asked. "Why do I feel like you're enjoying this?"

"I'm not," Hunter insisted. "I just think you need to be aware of what's going on."

John frowned and Hunter felt guilty for bringing this up.

"What the hell is Randy's problem?" John asked, obviously annoyed, and rightfully so. "Doesn't he like Portia?"

"That's what _I_ thought," Hunter said. "Apparently not."

"Speak of the devil," John nodded toward the door.

Hunter looked over his shoulder, expecting to see Randy but instead he saw Portia walk into the restaurant. When she spotted them, she smiled, waving. They both waved back and she walked over to them, "Well hello gentlemen..fancy meeting you here."

"Hey Portia," John nodded.

"Grab a seat," Hunter said, gesturing to the empty chair at their table.

The three of them talked for a while but Hunter felt a little out of place. Portia was barely looking in his direction.

She looked down at her watch and then back up at them, "I gotta go, I was just coming to pick up some food I ordered."

"Well I guess we'll see you later," Hunter said.

She barely nodded in response before focusing on John again, "Are you..are you busy tonight?"

John shook his head, "I don't think so."

"You wanna go to dinner?" she asked.

John shrugged, "Yeah, why not?"

"Great," she beamed. "I'll call you later. Bye Hunter."

On one hand Hunter was surprised and on the other he wasn't. Things just got more interesting by the day. He looked at John who was finally starting to eat his food.

"What?" John looked up, confused.

"What just happened?" Hunter asked.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You're going on a date with Portia," Hunter said.

"It's not a date," John laughed, shaking his head.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Hunter asked. "She was asking you out."

John thought about it for a second and then looked at Hunter again, "She was?"

-----------------------------------

"Where are you taking me?" Taylor asked. Chris was looking through some book the hotel staff left near the TV and got all excited but wouldn't tell Taylor why. Now they were in the car on their way to a destination unknown to her.

"I told you, it's a surprise," Chris said. "Now will you please sit back and enjoy my singing?"

"I would but I'm too busy trying to figure out where you're taking me," she said.

"You will know when the time is right pretty lady," he said. "Now sit back…and enjoy the rock."

She shook her head, wondering how anyone ever kept a straight face around him.

Taylor's Blackberry started ringing in her pocket and Chris gave an exaggerated sigh, "I should have made you leave that at the hotel."

"I don't know who it would be," Taylor said, pulling it out, hoping Viveca was okay.

"Hello?" she answered quickly.

No response.

"Hello?" she repeated.

"Can you hear me now?" Chris laughed.

Taylor playfully slapped his arm, trying to listen. No one was saying anything but she could hear something. With the wind and the radio though, she couldn't make out what. Maybe it was nothing.

"Hello?" she tried one more time.

The next thing she heard was a click. She pulled her phone away from her ear, confused.

"Maybe we're in a bad service area," Chris suggested.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Maybe."

-----------------------------------

Dawn closed the trunk and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. This had been quite an emotional day and it wasn't even 5 in the afternoon. In one day she was leaving the job she loved, leaving the man she loved but couldn't admit she loved, and asking her best friend to keep a _huge_ secret from everyone she knew.

"You can make a woman do some pretty strange things," she looked down at her stomach. She wanted to get some water before she drove to the airport so she turned to head back into the hotel, deciding to just grab some from the restaurant in the lobby. An older man held the door open for her and she smiled in thanks, walking in, wrapping her coat tightly around her. Once inside, she stopped, a strange feeling coming over her. She looked around and her breath caught in her chest when she saw the one person she'd tried to avoid all day.

-----------------------------------

Mark stepped off of the elevator, reading a newspaper. People always gave him crap for walking and reading but he never worried about bumping into anyone. It wasn't like he was easy to miss. For some reason though, he was almost hoping someone would walk into him. With the day he was having, maybe he needed a good fight or something. He needed to get his frustrations out some way before he went insane. He closed the paper, tossing it into a nearby garbage can, reaching his hand into his pocket for the keys to his rental car. He walked into the lobby and there she was…the very source of his frustrations, the proverbial eye of his emotional storm. He didn't know why but it was then that he decided he couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take being avoided and ignored. He was sick of being so damn confused about something that should be so simple. They were going to talk, whether she wanted to or not. He started walking toward her and she looked as if she wanted to run but her feet wouldn't move. He didn't stop until they were standing less than a foot apart.

"I need to talk to you," he looked down at her.

"I..I don't have time to talk right now Mark," she said, not looking at him.

"Make time," he said, taking her hand and leading her toward the front doors.

"Mark, did you not hear me?" she asked.

"I heard you darlin'," he said. "Now you're gonna hear me. Loud and clear."

He led her outside and around the side of the building where nosy passersby couldn't eavesdrop on their conversation.

Once they were out of sight he turned to face her.

"Mark-"

"I love you," he cut her off. "You know that."

She shook her head, "I cant do this right now."

"Cant do what?" he asked, frustrated. "You cant just _stand_ here and listen to me for _one minute_?"

She obviously didn't know what to say and Mark was grateful for her silence.

"I know that it's my fault that we're like this…I know I'm the one who messed up, I freely admit that. I was stupid. I accused you of things that I should have known you wouldn't do. I let myself get tricked and I acted like an asshole and there are very, _very_ few things that I've done in my life that I regret more than that."

Her hands started shaking and she quickly crossed her arms, looking down.

"Darlin' I cant change what I did and I don't have much of a right to ask you to do anything but I need you to try…Try to find some way to get past this with me. I need you to find some way to forgive me because god damn it I cant handle this anymore. I love you and I know ya love me. And you can say you don't if you want to but we both know the truth."

Mark realized that his booming voice was almost shaky..almost. He sounded about as close to desperate as he could and hell, he was.

"It doesn't have to be this hard," he said quietly, reaching out to her.

She shrunk away from him, shaking her head, "I'm not the one who made it hard."

"You're the one making it hard now!" he reminded her. "You want this as much as I do but you just cant let yourself come back to me. You're still so _damn_ mad at me that you wanna keep punishing both of us..Is that it?"

"I'm not _punishing_ anyone!" she raised her voice for the first time in the conversation.

"Yes you are!" he yelled back. "You are still punishing me for accusing you of cheating."

"_Why_ would I do that?" she yelled.

"I don't know!" he came back at her. He took her face in his hands and looked directly into her eyes, "I don't know why but you've gotta stop. We can make this work if you would just let it."

"If it was supposed to work, it would have Mark," she said, tears filling her eyes. "It didn't."

"God damn it Dawn," he let her go, turning around, trying to keep himself from punching the side of the building. "Just because it didn't work before doesn't mean it wont now. Stop letting the past dictate your entire life."

"I'm not," she shook her head.

"If you're not, then why cant you come back to me?" he asked, taking her chin in his hand and making her look at him. "_Why_?"

She was trembling and she closed her eyes, "Because I cant…Now please, I have to go. I have a flight to catch."

"A flight?" he frowned. "Why?"

"I don't have time to talk about it," she said, pulling away from him. "I have to go."

"You have to go?" he stared. "In the middle of this?"

"This isn't the middle," Dawn sighed. "It's the end."

Before he could argue, she walked away from him as quickly as her legs would carry her.

Then, Mark couldn't control himself. He launched his fist into the side of the building.

-----------------------------------


	35. Chapter 35

**Okay, here's the next chapter...I hope you all like it..I just realized when I finished it that this is like my third time using a first aid kit in the span of about 2 chapters...I promise, after this the excessive use of first aid will come to an end...Also, I'm gonna ask you all to stick with me on the Randy/Cory John/Portia thing...Keep in mind, sometimes you have to be with the wrong person to see who the right person is. And for anyone wondering where Viveca and Jeff are, they will be back in 36 or 37 and steadily after that, I promise. Now, I must once again thank you for the reviews, they make me do a little happy dance...On to the story..Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 35...**

"So I guess after I took Joe out and got him drunk, I'll never be off Regina's shit list," John laughed. "Not that I mind."

Portia rested her chin on her hand. They'd been at the restaurant for 20 minutes and, thus far, all John had talked about was Cory, her sister, and Mark punching him in the face. He seriously _had_ to have something else to talk about. He was looking at her, apparently waiting for a response to what he said.

"I don't know, I didn't think Regina was that bad," Portia said. "I mean, a little overbearing, yes, but she was just looking out for her sister."

"If you say so," John said. He pointed to the bruise on his face, "I think I've had enough of people who are looking out for Cory."

_I think I've had enough of _talking_ about Cory_

"Maybe you need to just take a break from her," Portia suggested. "It's obvious that things aren't gonna work out."

"Yeah, not with Randy in the way," John shook his head.

"Randy?" Portia frowned, confused. "What does Randy have to do with it?"

As far as Portia knew Randy's crush on Cory was long gone.

"Well, they had a little breakfast date this morning," John said. "And now they're out having drinks."

"Randy and Cory?" Portia stared, surprised. "Are you sure?"

Randy hadn't said anything to her about going out with Cory. Surely he would have mentioned it if it meant anything.

John nodded., "Yup. He's probably hitting on her as we speak."

Portia frowned, she was definitely going to have to talk to him about this.

-----------------------------------

Randy walked into the bar, looking around for Cory. He smiled when he spotted her sitting at the bar, finishing off a drink. The bartender brought her another, smiling lecherously at her. Randy couldn't blame the guy, she looked good. Damn good. She was wearing a black shirt and a very short white skirt. Her dark hair was curled loosely and flowing over her shoulders. She smiled when she saw him, waving him over. He waded through the bar patrons, smiling at a few people who seemed to recognize him. By the time he reached her, she was already halfway through the drink.

"I see you started without me," he lifted her glass.

"I've only had.." she furrowed her brow, then started counting on her fingers, "One..two..three.._Three_ Long Islands."

"And I can see they aren't effecting you at all," he teased, offering his arm. "How about we go get a table?"

"Sounds good," she said, getting down from her stool and looping her arm through his. "Come on..we'll get you caught up.

-----------------------------------

Chris laughed, swimming away as Taylor tried to splash him again. He didn't know what made her suggest that they go swimming in the hotel's indoor pool but he didn't mind at all. She was smiling and laughing and having fun. And if she was having fun, he was.

"Try dunking me again and you're gonna get it," she pointed at him, climbing out of the pool.

"Where ya goin?" he asked. "You scared?"

"My ears are full of water," she laughed, walking over to the lounge chair they'd put their towels on.

Chris admired the view as she stood, towel drying her hair. He loved how much healthier she looked than when they first met. She'd been beautiful then but she was stick thin. Dawn and Jessica feeding her every chance they got combined with her going to the gym with Viveca and Jessica in the morning left her with a very nice body. He knew there were a few guys on the roster who were interested in her but they kept their distance for fear that he would kick their asses. He wasn't typically the type who wanted everyone to be intimidated by him but in this case, he didn't mind.

Taylor was on her way back to the pool but Chris spotted a puddle of water in her path. She was walking so quickly that before he could say anything, she'd already stepped on it, slipping and falling.

"Shit," he got out of the pool as she hit the ground. He rushed to her side as she sat up.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking her face in his hands.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she laughed a little. "Just clumsy I guess."

"You sure?" he asked, concerned. She'd taken a pretty good spill.

"Really, I'm okay," she smiled, nodding.

He was nearly convinced until he looked down between them. She had a bad scrape on her knee and the area around it was already starting to bruise.

"Okay maybe not _totally_ okay," she smiled sheepishly.

"Stay here, I'm gonna go see if there's a first aid kit nearby," he said.

"Chris, I'll be okay," she waved him off but winced in pain when she tried to straighten her leg. "Okay maybe the first aid kit is a good idea."

"I'll be right back," he promised, getting up and rushing out of the pool area.

-----------------------------------

Taylor watched as Chris practically raced out into the hall. It was cute that he was so concerned. Her knee definitely hurt but it wasn't life or death. She'd certainly felt worse pain in her lifetime. Still, it touched her that a scrape on her knee was such a big deal. She was glad that when they came down there was no one else in the pool. She'd enjoyed having Chris to herself all day. She'd actually been able to focus on something other than flying to Detroit. For most of the day at least. She looked around the pool area, listening to the sound of the water moving. She hoped it wouldn't take Chris too long, she didn't want to be sitting there bleeding when some stranger came in. She was looking out a window into the night sky when she heard a click and suddenly it was as dark inside as it was out. She jumped, looking around for someone.

"Hello?"

She hadn't heard footsteps but why else would the lights go out if someone hadn't turned them off. There wasn't a storm outside, the power should have been fine.

"Hello?"

There was no response and the only sound in the room was still the water. Maybe the lights were on a timer…That was probably it.

Still, Taylor could feel her heart beating through her chest. She looked around but she could barely see anything. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She was being silly.

She nearly jumped out of her skin, shrieking when her phone started ringing loudly, the sound echoing through the pool area.

"Shit," she put a hand to her chest.

She was breathing heavily now but she scooted over to her phone. She needed to answer it in case it was Viveca.

She found the blinking Blackberry quickly and answered the call, "Hello?"

She didn't hear any response. She pulled the phone away from her ear, checking for a signal. She definitely had one.

"Hello?" she brought the phone back to her ear, growing irritated. She'd heard of fans getting phone numbers before but the phone wasn't in Viveca's name. Why would anyone want to prank call her?

"Is anybody there?" she asked.

Then, she heard breathing. She hadn't been sure during the earlier phone call but she could hear it clearly now. There was definitely someone on the other end of the call. Someone who was trying, and succeeding, in freaking her out.

"Who is this?" she asked.

The breathing continued but the person didn't say anything.

Taylor hung up the phone, tossing it away. She was not going to let some freak intimidate her. The phone started ringing again and she stared at it, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. Who was calling her? Why were they trying to scare her?…Did this have something to do with Detroit?

At that thought, she felt her hands start shaking. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go back there.

"Taylor?"

Relief washed over her when she heard Chris's voice.

"Took you long enough," she tried her best to sound normal.

"You tryin to set the mood?" he laughed. She heard the same clicking sound she heard earlier but this time light flooded the area.

He returned to her side, kneeling down next to her, "I had to get the one out of the gym..sorry."

"It's okay," she put her hand on his arm, more for her own comfort than his.

"You're shaking," he looked at her with concerned eyes.

"I am?" she pulled her hand away. "Wow, would ya look at that?"

He smirked but he still seemed worried, "You missed me that much?"

She laughed, "Yup..that was it."

-----------------------------------

"I don't know how any food makes it into your mouth the way you eat," Portia laughed.

John smiled, using his napkin to wipe the side of his mouth, "I've always been a messy eater..Didn't used to bother you. You've been around Randy too much, he eats like a girl."

"Eating neatly doesn't mean you eat like a _girl_," Portia said. "Have you seen the way Jessica eats?"

"Good point," John laughed. "Hey, what's up with you and Randy anyway? You two are like attached at the hip."

"We're really good friends, but that's it," Portia shrugged.

"Just friends?" John smirked. "I don't buy that."

"It's true," she insisted.

"Right," John said. "That's why you looked like I told you your puppy was missing when I said he was out with Cory."

"I did not!" she laughed.

"Yeah you did," John insisted. "You covered it up quick, but I saw it."

"You're imagining things," Portia said. "Randy can do whatever he wants…if, for whatever reason, he wants to go out with Cory..I don't care."

"For whatever reason?" John frowned. "You say that like there's something wrong with her. Aren't you two friends?"

"We are," Portia said. "I didn't mean anything by it I just..She doesn't really seem like his type."

"She has breasts, trust me, she's Randy's type," John said in a bitter tone, wondering where they were and what they were doing.

"What is it that makes Randy such a dreamboat to you women?" John asked.

"Dreamboat?" Portia laughed.

"You know what I mean," he said, waiting for her to answer the question.

"I told you I'm not interested in him," she said. "But if I was I guess I'd say he's _incredibly_ attractive..he's funny..talented..concerned with his appearance..intelligent.."

"And there's nothing going on with you guys?" John laughed. Portia may not have realized it yet but she was obviously developing some feelings for Randy. He hoped she realized it soon and got Randy the hell away from Cory.

"You know what, this dinner is supposed to be about us," she said. "Not them."

-----------------------------------

"I don't know what I was thinking," Cory said, stirring her drink with her straw. "I should've just let Gina go on thinking you were my boyfriend.

Randy laughed, "She thought I was your boyfriend?"

"I cant count how many times I had to hear about how handsome you are," she took a sip.

"Something I never get tired of hearing," he smiled.

She laughed, drinking more, her blues eyes on him. He felt a familiar stir when she put her glass down, the corner of her mouth lifting. Despite the fact that his attentions had shifted to Portia for a while, he was very aware of the effect Cory could have on him..on any man really. She was, in a word, hot. Maybe his thing for her had never gone away. Maybe he was only drawn to Portia because Cory wasn't around. The only problem with that explanation was that he still felt something for her when Cory got back. He needed to stop trying to figure out what his attraction was to Portia. She wanted John and that was the end of it. And why was he thinking about Portia when he had one of the most attractive women he'd ever seen sitting across from him.

Cory was looking down into her drink then she giggled a little, shaking her head.

"What?"

"I was just thinking," she smiled. "About how Gina kept bringing you up in front of John. She seems to have quite a fondness for you."

Randy smiled, "I knew I liked your sister..She's obviously very intelligent."

"Whatever," Cory laughed. "You're too busy with Portia to be interested in me."

Randy rolled his eyes, "How many times do I have to tell you there's nothing there?"

"A few more times before I believe you," she smiled. "It's okay Randy. I think it's cute."

"It would be if it were true," he said.

She smiled, holding up her drunk, "Sure it is."

-----------------------------------

"I had a really good time tonight," Portia smiled up at John as he walked her back to her room.

"Me too," he nodded, surprised that he actually meant it. He and Portia hadn't been as outright hostile to each other after Portia apologized for injuring Cory months earlier but they still weren't very close. It was nice to hang out with her again and not fantasize about getting one of his female friends to bitch slap her.

"I'm glad we can actually hang out now and..be friends, you know?" he smiled at her.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she smiled, taking his hand in hers.

John was a little confused by the gesture but he shrugged it off. Friends could hold hands. He felt a little awkward now, looking around the hall as they walked.

"So…that food was great," he said. "My chicken was _amazing_…How was your um..enchilada?"

"I had a fajita," she corrected. "It was good."

"Good, that's good," John nodded as they reached room 2030. "I believe this is your stop."

"It is," she smiled. "Thanks for dinner."

"Not a problem," he patted her on the side of the arm. "You have a good-"

John's eyes went wide when Portia pulled him into a kiss. He didn't know what to do so he just stood there. After a few seconds, she pulled away, looking confused.

_She_ was confused? He had no idea what to say. He hadn't expected her to do that. He wasn't at all prepared.

"I uh…I gotta go," he said, not waiting for a response before he walked away.

What the hell was that about?

-----------------------------------

Randy placed his hand on the small of Cory's back as they walked to her room. They'd been at the bar talking until last call before deciding it was time to come back to the hotel and get some sleep. They had a flight in the morning and after the amount of alcohol they'd consumed, they would probably have a hard time waking up.

"You know..I think they should bring back RNN one of these days," Cory giggled.

Randy groaned at the mention of the RNN gimmick. He hadn't heard it mentioned in quite some time.

"I'm pretty sure you're the only person who thinks so," he laughed.

"You know when you go into the hall of fame, somebody's gonna put RNN in your video montage," she nudged him.

"When?" he raised a brow,.

"Oh stop, you know how good you are," she laughed.

"Yes but it's still nice to hear other people say it," he smiled.

"I'm sure you'd prefer Portia saying it," she laughed, leaning on him as they walked.

He rolled his eyes at the mention of Portia. He'd finally gotten Cory to stop bringing her up for a few hours. So much for that. At least she hadn't talked about John in a while.

"Don't roll your eyes at me," she laughed, leaning against the wall as they finally reached her door.

"I cant help it," he said. "When are you gonna believe me about Portia?"

"When you prove it," she laughed.

"You want me to prove it?" he asked, amused.

"You asked when I'd believe you," she said, frowning as she looked through her purse for her key. "Where the hell did I put the key?"

"You handed it to me in the bar," he reminded her, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Thanks," she reached for it but he held it out of her reach. She laughed, "Randy, gimme the key."

"Here, take it," he held it in front of her.

When she reached for it, he held it up again.

"Randy!" she tried to glare at him but she was having a hard time keeping a straight face. "Come on, give me my key."

He held it in front of her again and she got her hand on it this time but he wouldn't let it go. He laughed as she struggled to pull it out of his hand.

She glared at him, "You are so not fu-"

He cut her off, pressing his lips to hers. A squeak escaped her and she let go of the key, returning the kiss. Randy moved closer to her, deepening the kiss. He placed one of his hands on the wall behind her and the other on the side of her neck. The kiss lasted for a few more seconds before Randy pulled away. He studied her face, trying to gauge her reaction. She looked surprised, very surprised..but not in a bad way.

"Believe me now?" he smirked, holding her key out for her again.

"Um..yeah," she said taking the key, still a little dazed. "Yeah I guess so."

"Good," he smiled. "I'll see you in the morning."

-----------------------------------

John ran a hand over his hair as he walked to his room, trying to figure out how to let Portia down easy. What was going on? Randy was supposed to want Portia and yet he was hitting on Cory. Portia was supposed to like Randy..but she'd just tried to put her tongue in his mouth. He thought he finally had Cory and now she would barely look at him.

_Nothing around here makes sense_

Now he had to figure out some way to let Portia down easy. This would have been easier when he still disliked her. Now he had to be nice about it. What was he supposed to say? Thanks but no thanks?

As he rounded the corner, he heard a noise, almost like a squeak. He stopped in his tracks when the source of the noise was revealed. Cory and Randy…kissing.

_Son of a bitch_

-----------------------------------


	36. Chapter 36

**Okay my peeps, here is the next chapter. I planned to have it up earlier but I had a lot of personal drama going on that delayed my posting. Things are calming down now thank goodness. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!! Oh and for anyone who's wondering, in the next chapter...Savannah is back..mwahaha...**

**Chapter 36...**

_Monday_

Randy looked up when John came into the locker room. It was getting pretty closer to the start of the show but this was the first time Randy had seen his friend all day.

He held up two ties for an opinion, "Which one?"

John walked past him, not saying a word.

Randy frowned, confused, "Hello?"

John dropped his bag and started pulling out his gear, his eyes focused on what he was doing. His jaw was clenched and Randy could see that his muscles were tense. He obviously wasn't having the best day.

"Dude, you lose your voice?" Randy joked.

John finally looked up at him, "Nope. Just don't have anything to say."

With that, he went back to what he was doing and Randy sighed. So John's anger was directed at him, that was new. He was used to them being foes in front of the camera but they'd always been friends backstage. Then, it dawned on him.

"Is this about Cory?" Randy asked.

John picked up a few things and walked out of the room.

"Yeah," Randy nodded. "I guess it is."

-----------------------------------

"How does this look?" Jessica asked.

Taylor looked up from programming her Blackberry with Mark's information. He'd asked her today to help him out and she gladly accepted some extra responsibility. Jessica was wearing a pair of black pants and a very skimpy white shirt.

"Looks good to me," Taylor smiled.

"Cory?" Jessica looked to her sister for an opinion.

Cory was sitting down, having her makeup done. Except for the time she asked her why she was limping, Cory hadn't said much to Taylor all day. She hadn't seen her talk to anyone really. Everyone found out that morning that Dawn was taking a leave of absence and Cory was obviously hit pretty hard by the news.

"Cory?" Jessica repeated.

"Hmm?" Cory looked over at her as Jan, the makeup artist, finished

"How does this look?" Jessica asked.

"It looks fine," Cory nodded absently.

Cory put her phone and the papers Mark had given her down and walked over to Cory who was now standing up, surveying her own appearance in the mirror.

"Are you okay?" Taylor asked.

"Me?" Cory smiled. "Of course I am..why?"

"You don't seem like it," Taylor said. "I know you're upset about Dawn leaving. You wanna talk about it?"

Cory took a deep breath, "Not right now..but thank you."

"No problem," Taylor said. "If you change your mind..you know you can talk to me."

Cory smiled, giving her a quick hug, "I know..thanks."

Then, there was a light knock on the door.

"Come in," Jessica called.

Mark walked in, offering everyone a small wave. Then he focused on Cory, "Kid..can I talk to you for a second?"

-----------------------------------

Cory walked behind Mark into the hall, wringing her hands, an uneasy feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure if she could pull this off. She made a promise to Dawn and she wanted to keep it, she did but Mark knew her better than almost anyone. He usually knew when she was lying. It killed her to even have to try to lie to him. She could tell by looking at him that he hadn't had much sleep. He was in his gear for the show but he didn't need makeup to enhance the dark circles under his eyes. He looked tired and frustrated and confused. He had every reason to feel all of those things and more.

"What's goin on Kid?" Mark sighed, running a hand over his hair. "Why did she leave?"

As usual, Mark didn't beat around the bush.

Cory took a deep breath, "I..I don't know. I don't know what's going on with her lately."

"Does anyone?" he asked in a bitter tone. "I just don't get it. Why would she just up and leave like that?"

Cory shrugged, the backs of her eyes stinging, "She obviously had a lot on her mind lately..maybe she just felt like she needed to get away from everything and..clear her head. I don't know."

"She needed to get away from _me_," Mark said, looking away.

"That's not what I'm saying," Cory said.

"But that's what it is," Mark said, pacing. "This is my fault."

"Mark-"

"I told her everything," Mark said. "I told her how I feel. I told her I love her and I need her. I practically _begged_ her to come back to me. I made a complete ass of myself and she just.._left_."

Cory didn't know what to say. She didn't know that. She didn't know that Mark had finally opened up and told Dawn what he wanted. She wanted to call her best friend and yell at her but she wouldn't. She was frustrated with her though.

"I said all that and she just walked away," Mark said, putting his hands on his hips. "I don't know why I even bothered."

Cory looked down at her hands and then back up at him.

"Do you think it's someone else?" he asked. "Maybe she feels guilty 'cause-"

"Mark that is _not_ it," Cory said. "That could never be it."

"It's possible," Mark said. "Maybe she found someone else and doesn't know how to let me down easy. Being around me all the time just makes it harder on her."

"Mark," she stopped his pacing, putting both of her hands around one of his wrists. She looked up at him, "It is not someone else. You and I both know that. She loves you. _Anybody_ can see that…she just..I guess she just doesn't know how to handle it right now."

She could feel her eyes beginning to get misty. Mark obviously saw it too because he put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her into a hug, "I'm sorry Kid…I know this is hard on you too."

She nodded, "I'm okay though…We'll both be okay."

"Of course we will," he released her. "But if you go off and leave me, I'll lose my mind so don't let any of these guys run you off."

"I wont," she smiled, shaking her head.

"I gotta go find Hunter, I'll see you later," he said. "Stay out of trouble."

She waved weakly as she watched him walk around the corner. Once he was gone, she practically collapsed against the wall, trying desperately not to cry. She wasn't going to be able to do this. How did Dawn expect her to go through this every day? To watch her best friend walk around with a broken heart and not be able to tell him why. How did Dawn expect her to keep this _huge_ secret from Mark? Especially when she knew that Mark would never do anything like this to her.

-----------------------------------

John walked down the hall, his muscles tense. He was getting a headache from having his jaw clenched all day but he couldn't help it. The image of Randy and Cory kissing kept playing in his head and it was driving him crazy. How could Randy do that to him and then talk to him like everything was supposed to be cool? And how could Cory kiss Randy when they both knew he wasn't who she wanted?

He was started out of his thoughts when he heard an odd noise around the corner. It sounded like someone having trouble breathing. He rushed around the corner and panicked when he saw Cory with her back against the wall, sliding down to the floor.

He rushed over to her, "What's wrong? What happened?"

He looked in her eyes and could see that they were filled with tears. She was trying so hard not to cry that she could barely breathe. Every ounce of anger flew out of his body and all he could think about was trying to calm her down. He firmly took her shoulders, pulling her back up, "Come on baby, it's okay."

He took her hand, leading her to the nearby catering area and picking up a bottle of water. She was still breathing funny and he was afraid she would hyperventilate.

"Come on," he ran his hand over her hair, "Breathe…Take a deep breath."

She tried but it still didn't come out right.

He looked into her eyes, stroking her hair again, "Come on…deep breath."

She breathed in deeply and he lightly stroked her temple with his thumb as she breathed out.

"What happened?" he asked. He'd heard about Dawn leaving but this seemed to be more.

He didn't get an answer because she collapsed against him in tears. He put his arms around her, rubbing her back.

"Cory you can tell me," he said. "What's going on?"

"I cant," she shook her head vigorously against him. "I cant."

"Yes you can," John said. "I wanna help."

"You cant help," she cried, pulling away. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," he said. "Just tell me what's going on."

She was still sniffing, her shoulders trembling but she'd stopped sobbing. She shook her head, "I wish I could but I cant."

John didn't want to push her into another session of sobbing so he didn't push any further.

"Are you gonna be okay?" he asked, wiping his thumb under her eyes. Her makeup was starting to run a tiny bit.

She nodded, "Yeah I just need a minute."

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" he asked, knowing that he wouldn't no matter what she said.

She looked up at him and shook her head, new tears filling her eyes, "No."

"Okay," he said, pulling her against him again, kissing the top of her head.

She rested against him and John wished that they weren't about to start the show. If he had more time with her, he could probably find out what was going on.

"_There_ you are!"

John turned when he heard the female voice. Jacinda was coming toward them waving her PDA. Cory didn't pull away from him until Jacinda got closer. John wiped his thumb under her eye again.

"You were looking for me?" Cory asked.

"The guys from that website are here," Jacinda said. "You're supposed to be doing an interview hyping Wrestlemania. Remember?"

"I thought that was tomorrow," Cory said.

Jacinda shook her head, "Nope..today…Your makeup is _ruined_."

Jacinda gave John a pointed look, "We're gonna have to get it fixed in case they want pictures. Come on."

"Okay," Cory nodded. She looked up at John, "Thank you."

"Anytime," he squeezed her hand before Jacinda led her away.

He was a little confused by the way Jacinda looked at him. He was helping Cory, it wasn't like she wasn't prepared for her interview because they were in the bathroom gettin' it on. What the hell was her problem?

-----------------------------------

Jason looked over at Adam as they walked down the hall. They'd just finished talking to Sylvan and Renee about their match and the changes they had to make due to Viveca's absence. He'd been meaning to talk to his friend about something that was bothering him and he figured he should probably do it now when they had a little time.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"If you're pregnant, it's not mine," Adam smirked.

Jason gave him a look.

"Okay, Jay doesn't wanna joke today," Adam held up his hands. "What's up?"

"The other day..I overheard Matt and Jeff talking," Jason said. "And..Jeff had some concerns about you."

"About me?" Adam asked. "Like what?"

"Well, he wondered why you kept Viveca from apologizing to him after they had their fight," Jason said. "And I was kind of wondering the same thing."

Adam sighed, "I was just trying to help."

"I know you better than that," Jason said.

Adam turned to face him, "Look..I'm not gonna lie and say that I wasn't hoping they'd have a harder time patching things up. But it's not like I did anything wrong. It was stupid."

"Yeah," Jay nodded, disappointed with his friend. He'd been hoping that his suspicions were wrong. "It was stupid."

"What? Are you gonna lecture me now?" Adam smirked.

"Adam, being jealous is one thing..but trying to mess things up for them is another," Jay said, not appreciating Adam's flippant attitude.

"Last I checked, hoping for a little rift isn't a crime," Adam shrugged. "What's your problem?"

"My problem is that I think you're forgetting everything the four of us have been through," Jason said. "Me, you, Matt, and Jeff have been on the road together for years. They're two of our best friends. You had your chance with Viveca..You lost it. She's with Jeff now…You need to accept it."

"I do," Adam insisted. "You need to loosen up."

-----------------------------------

_½ Hour Later…_

_RAW_

A video played, recapping some events from the previous week. Starting with Raw when Cory Flair made her return to WWE TV. During Randy Orton's match against RVD, she seemed very reluctant to interfere but eventually did hand Orton his Intercontinental Championship belt. Then, On Smackdown they were shown in the Evolution locker room. It seemed that Randy was asking Cory to do something that she didn't seem to fond of. She accompanied Batista at ringside during his match against Undertaker and got up on the ring apron to distract the referee while Triple H came down the ramp and got into the ring, attacking Undertaker and delivering the pedigree that helped Batista win the match. Once it was over though, Cory didn't seem pleased with herself while the rest of Evolution came out to celebrate. Then, it went to live video of Evolution in their locker room.

"Everybody understand?" Triple H asked the rest of Evolution. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What are they up to now?" JR asked.

"You never know," King said.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and assume it has something to do with tonight's main event."

The main event was to be Randy Orton and Triple H taking on Undertaker and a mystery partner.

"I don't want any mistakes tonight," Triple H said in a stern tone.

"There wont be any," Batista insisted.

"Good," Triple H smiled before walking out of the room.

Ric Flair, Jessica, Portia, and Batista followed their leader out of the room. Randy moved to follow but Cory grabbed his arm, looking apprehensive.

"King, one has to wonder where Cory's head has been at since she came back," JR said. "She hasn't seemed as enthused as she used to be with Evolution's antics."

"She's been acting very funny," King agreed.

"Randy..I don't know about this," Cory said.

Randy frowned, "What do you mean?"

"It just..doesn't seem like a good idea," Cory said.

"Of course it's a good idea, are you kidding?" he laughed.

"No I just…is this really necessary?" she asked.

"Is what necessary?" King asked.

"I can only imagine what they're planning," JR shook his head.

"Cory," Randy put his hands on her shoulders. "This is what we do. You should be used to this. You loved it before. Nothing's changed."

"I know but…" she trailed off, taking a deep breath.

"Your father is the dirtiest player in the game," Randy said. "What's that saying?..The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?"

She laughed a little and nodded, "Yeah."

"You trust me, don't you?" Randy asked, gently touching her chin.

"I cant understand why anyone would," JR said.

Cory nodded, "Of course I do."

"Then you need to trust that I would never steer you wrong..None of us would."

She took another deep breath then nodded, "Okay…You're right."

Randy kissed her quickly before walking out of the room. She didn't follow though, instead crossing her arms over her chest and biting her bottom lip.

"There definitely seems to be some trouble in paradise, King."

-----------------------------------

"Randy!"

Randy turned when he saw Portia walking toward him. Jessica, Ric, Hunter, and Dave were going back into the dressing room since the camera man was gone. She had walked away to get a bottle of water. He leaned against the wall, waiting while she made her way over to him.

"Hey," she smiled when she finally reached him.

"Hey," he nodded. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you," she said.

Randy wasn't surprised.

"About what?"

"Did you go out with Cory yesterday?" she asked.

He was wondering when she was going to ask him about Cory. He wasn't doing this to get to her, but he figured there was a chance that it might. She didn't have any right to be upset though..She wanted John.

He nodded, "Twice..why?"

"Are you guys…you know?" she asked.

"Are we what?" he asked, needing her to narrow the question down a bit.

"Are you dating?" she asked.

He shrugged, "Last night could be called a date..and we're talking about another one."

"Really?" she asked.

"Is it that surprising?" he laughed.

"A little," she nodded. "I thought you said you were over her."

"I thought I was," he shrugged. "But I said that while she was gone..now that she's back..I don't know. The attraction is still there. And this time it's not one sided."

"It's not?" she asked.

Randy laughed, "Wow, way to stroke my ego Portia."

"I'm sorry I just…never mind," she shook her head. "Well um…I need to go find John. I'll see you later."

-----------------------------------

_RAW_

After the match, the image of Kane's dressing room door appeared on the screen.

"I think it's pretty obvious who Undertaker will be asking to be his partner tonight," King said.

"What better partner could the Deadman have than his brother Kane?" JR asked.

The door opened but instead of Kane, Batista walked out of the room, a small smile on his face.

"What the hell?" JR said.

"What's Batista doing in there?"

"Nothing good, I can tell ya that much," JR said with disdain.

A few seconds later, Ric Flair walked out, straightening his tie and smiling. A laugh escaped him as he walked away.

"What just happened in there?" King asked.

"I don't know King," JR said. "But I think someone needs to check on Kane."

-----------------------------------

Jacinda's eyes were trained on the monitor as officials checked on Glenn who was laying on the floor looking unconscious.

"Don't worry, he's not really knocked out," Jessica smirked, patting her on the shoulder.

Jacinda laughed.

"Leave her alone Jessie," Cory laughed.

"Hey, I'm impressed," Jessica smiled. "Glenn hasn't had a date in..well, a _long_ time. Jacinda's awakened the beast."

Jacinda wasn't sure what to think of Jessica's word choice but she usually said things in a joking manner so she laughed again, "Glad I could be the one to do so."

"I think you two are cute together," Jessica smiled.

"Thanks," Jacinda smiled. "I don't know..There's just something about him."

"Well he's been in a fantastic mood since you two started seeing each other," Cory smiled. "So keep it up."

Jacinda smiled, "I definitely will."

-----------------------------------

"So Portia kissed you and then you saw Cory and Randy kissing?" Hunter summarized everything John had told him.

John nodded.

"Am I the only person around here not getting any action?" Hunter laughed.

"Can you focus please?" John asked.

"I am," Hunter laughed. "But I don't know what you want me to say really…If she likes Randy, she likes him. There's nothing I can do."

"If she likes Randy so much then why was it never apparent until yesterday?" he asked. "And if she didn't like me anymore, there's no way she would have let me comfort her earlier…She probably would have punched me in the face. You know how she is."

"So maybe she likes both of you," Hunter shrugged.

"No way," John shook his head. "No…she's doing this thing with Randy to punish me."

"That is a possibility," Hunter nodded. "But I don't know…would Randy let himself get dragged into something that's totally about someone else? That's not exactly his thing."

"He wouldn't know," John said. "Cory's a good actress when she wants to be. She wants to make Randy think she wants him so that I feel like even more of an asshole for screwing things up."

Hunter didn't exactly agree with John's theory but John seemed pretty satisfied with it so he shrugged, "Sure…Why not?"

"What do I do about it?" John asked.

"We're gonna have to discuss it later," Hunter stood up. "I gotta get to the GP."

-----------------------------------

_RAW_

Evolution's music began and Triple H, Batista, Randy Orton and Cory Flair walked out onto the ramp.

"I hope they're happy with themselves," JR said. "Kane is still being checked out by doctors after the number Batista and Ric Flair did on him."

"They were just trying to better their odds JR," King said.

"By blindsiding Kane? You're okay with that?" JR asked.

"How do you know Kane was blindsided?" King asked.

"Because that's just the way Evolution would do it," JR said. "They're cowards, every one of them."

The group made their way to the ring and, as usual, the fans along the ramp were holding their hands out in hopes to get a handshake or something. They were all ignored but as the rest of the group continued to the ring, Cory stopped, shaking a few hands and even giving a young boy a kiss on the cheek.

"Did you see that?" King said as the kid beamed into the camera. "I wonder if she'll give me one of those."

"I doubt it," JR said.

Just before he got into the ring, Randy finally realized that his girlfriend was missing. He turned around, frowning when he saw her interacting with the fans.

"Uh oh," King said as Randy walked over to her, taking the hand that she was waving and guiding her to the ring.

"What was that about?" JR asked.

"She's in Evolution," King said. "She's not supposed to be hugging and kissing fans."

"Only people like them would see something wrong with showing the fans a little respect and appreciation," JR said.

Once they were all in the ring, the lights came down and the crowd went crazy as The Undertaker's music began.

"Do you think he found a partner?" King asked as the Phenom appeared on the entrance ramp and the crowd got even louder.

"I don't know but I hope so," JR said. "I have every faith in the Undertaker but with Triple H, Randy Orton, _and_ Batista at ringside, the deck is _most definitely_ stacked against him."

Undertaker walked up the ring steps and went through the usual ritual of taking off his hat and coat. He didn't enter the ring though.

As the lights came up, Triple H got the microphone from Lillian Garcia.

"What's the matter Taker?" Triple H asked, obviously amused. "Didn't manage to find a partner?..You know, I heard your brother was uh…indisposed. That's really too bad. Guess you're gonna have to go it alone."

The Undertaker simply stared, his expression blank.

"You're gonna have to get in here sometime," Triple H beckoned him forward. "Let's get this over with."

The Undertaker's head slowly turned toward the entrance ramp and John Cena's music began, sending the crowd into another frenzy.

"Looks like Undertaker found a partner," King said, surprised.

"And what a partner he found," JR said excitedly as John Cena came down the ramp. Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista all looked surprised and not at all pleased with this new development. Undertaker remained on the corner and John Cena slid into the ring playing to the crowd for a few seconds before removing his t-shirt and getting right in Randy Orton's face.

"These two have _never_ gotten along," JR said as an angry Triple H got out of the ring and took his place on the corner.

The referee had the bell rung and John and Randy continued to stare each other down. Then, Randy slapped John hard across the face to start the match.

_15 Minutes Later…_

"Oh my God!" King exclaimed as the referee angrily pointed to the back, yelling in Batista's face. While the referee was distracted, Batista had pulled John Cena down from the apron and assaulted him at ringside. Now, he was being ejected. "He cant do that!"

"He just did!" JR exclaimed excitedly. "Good riddance!"

A few more officials had to come down to escort an angry Batista from the ring area. The ref got back into the ring and Randy Orton got right in his face, obviously not pleased with the decision.

At ringside, John Cena was laying near the steel steps, blood beginning to flow from his forehead. Cory Flair, who was only a few feet away, was obviously trying to focus on the ring but her eyes kept drifting over to the fallen wrestler. Thinking that no one seemed to be paying attention to her, she walked over, kneeling beside him.

"What is she doing?" King asked as she leaned over, checking on him.

"She's acting like a woman with a heart," JR said as she helped him try to sit up.

"She's supposed to be on Evolution's side!"

As Randy continued to yell at the referee, Triple H got up and a smile spread across his face when he saw that the Undertaker hadn't made it back to his feet yet.

He yelled something over his shoulder to the side of the ring Cory had been standing on but she was on the floor with John and didn't hear him.

"What is he saying?" King asked.

He said it again but once again got nothing in response. He turned around, frowning when he didn't see Cory.

He looked up at the titan tron and his expression turned very angry when he saw the image of Cory checking on a bleeding John Cena. He turned around, leaning over the ropes and yelling her name. She jumped, looking up at him. She backed away from John quickly, looking frightened. Her eyes grew even wider and she started pointing.

Triple H pointed back at her but when the camera panned back, it became obvious that she wasn't pointing at him. She was pointing behind him.

"Undertaker's back up!" JR exclaimed as the Deadman stood behind Triple H

Randy Orton was trying to get into the ring to save his partner but the referee was pushing him back to the corner. Triple H turned around and right into a stiff kick to the stomach. The crowd went wild as Undertaker executed the Last Ride on Triple H. Randy made it around the referee but a recovered John Cena rushed into the ring, tackling the Intercontinental Champ before he could save the leader of Evolution. Cory stood at ringside, staring with wide eyes as Undertaker pulled Triple H back up and gave him the tombstone.

"Undertaker just tombstoned the champion!" JR yelled excitedly.

"And it's all her fault," King said as Cory stared open mouthed while Undertaker pinned Triple H for the win.

"What do you mean it's _her_ fault?" JR asked.

"She didn't help when she was supposed to," King said.

JR didn't respond to the comment, instead focusing on the action in the ring.

Randy Orton received an FU for his troubles just after the match ended.

Undertaker stood, Dragging his thumb across his throat and rolling his eyes back into his head as he stood above Triple H.

John Cena leaned over Randy Orton, waving his hand in front of his face before the referee got between the two men, raising their hands in victory. Once they got out of the ring, Triple H and Randy began to stir while their opponents backed up the ramp. Both men yelled, pointing at the winners angrily. Once they were gone, Triple H and Randy stood up and Triple H turned his attention to Cory who once again looked frightened.

"Leave her alone," JR said.

"When have you ever liked Cory?" King asked.

"I don't know King, my opinion seems to be changing," JR said.

Triple H motioned for her to get into the ring and she timidly climbed up the steps and entered through the ropes. Triple H immediately started berating her, yelling loudly and pointing in her face, backing her up until she was pressed between him and the turnbuckle. Randy Orton stood there looking conflicted.

"It takes a real big man to bite a woman's head off," JR spat. "And an even bigger one to just stand by and let his girlfriend be verbally assaulted. They should both be so proud."

"Maybe Randy agrees with Triple H," King said.

"Obviously!"

Cory was afraid at first but then it seemed that she'd had enough and she started yelling back.

"She's not backing down," King seemed surprised.

Triple H continued to point in her face as they yelled at each other and then Cory roughly slapped his hand down. He reared back as if to hit her and finally Randy jumped between them.

"It's about damn time!" JR said as Randy and Triple H argued.

"Get her in line!" Triple H could be heard yelling. "Get her in line!"

Triple H angrily exited the ring, snatching his belt away from the timekeeper before he stormed away. Randy stood in the ring looking annoyed at both his mentor _and _his fiancé as the show came to an end.

-----------------------------------


	37. Chapter 37

**Okay peeps, here's the next chap. As always, I appreciate your reviews and I think you're all wonderful. I'm falling asleep right now so I'm not gonna babble on as much as usual. Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

**Chapter 37...**

Cory was practically out on her feet as Randy walked her to her room. She was glad he was holding her hand because if she let him go, she would probably just lean up against a wall and go to sleep.

"Are you okay?" Randy asked, squeezing her hand.

She nodded, "Yeah..I'm just tired."

"That's it?" he asked as they reached her door.

She nodded, appreciative of his concern. She smiled, reaching up and giving him a hug. He held her for a few seconds, softly rubbing her back.

"Thanks for walking me," she smiled, pulling away and taking out her room key.

"Anytime," he smiled, touching her cheek. "I'll pick you up in the morning and we'll get some breakfast before we go to the airport."

"Okay," she smiled. "Goodnight."

"Night," he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he left. She opened the door and almost fell in, dropping her bag on the floor. She took off her coat, dropping it on top of the bag and stepped out of her shoes. On the way to the bed she pulled off whatever clothing she had left and tossed it aside before crawling into bed. If this was the kind of emotional exhaustion that came with lying to her best friend, she was never gonna make it another 8 months or however long it was until Dawn gave birth. She pulled the covers up over herself, nuzzling her pillow. Just as her eyes began to close, there was a light knock on the door. She considered ignoring it but she figured that anyone coming by after a show when they had to be up early had something important to say. She got up and walked over to her suitcase, pulling out a big t-shirt and slipping it on. When she got to the door, she was surprised when she looked through the peep hole and saw John in the hallway. She opened the door, stifling a yawn, "Hey..what are you doing here?"

"Hey," he smiled. "I was just coming by to see how you're doing."

He looked very concerned and she smiled, leaning her head against the door, I'm fine. I'm just..feeling a little pressure lately, that's all."

"What kind of pressure?" he asked.

"I've been working on some new things for Wrestlemania and they aren't quite going the way I want yet," she said. She wasn't exactly lying, she was working on some new moves for the pay-per-view.

"You want some help?" he smiled.

She laughed a little. He really did have a cute smile.

"Portia and I are gonna go over some things in the morning," she smiled. "But thank you."

"No problem," he laughed. He looked around, hands in his pockets and Cory got the feeling that he didn't want to leave.

She touched his arm reassuringly, "John..I'm okay..I promise."

"You're sure?" he asked.

She nodded, "And I'm sleepy…so I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay," he said. "If you need anything though…"

"I'll call you," she smiled.

"Goodnight," he waved. She waved back waiting until he was out of sight to close the door. She closed the door, walking back to bed and getting back under the covers. She thought back to the way John took care of her earlier. He forgot any tension between them and his sole focus was calming her down and finding out what was wrong with her and that meant a lot. Maybe she needed to give him another chance.

-----------------------------------

John walked away from Cory's room feeling a little better. He could still see that there was something bothering her but he could tell from the way she smiled at him that she was feeling better. It meant a lot to him that she'd opened up to him the way she did. He didn't see her crying on Randy's shoulder. That had to mean something. Maybe, hopefully, she was going to give him another shot. That meant that he had to figure out how to let Portia down easy and he needed to figure it out soon. He still didn't understand where that kiss had come from. He had no idea that she even wanted him back. He felt somewhat guilty for not letting her down right then and there but he couldn't help it. She caught him off guard.

"John."

He turned when he heard the soft voice behind him and there, as if conjured up by thoughts, stood Portia Kelly.

"Hey," she smiled, walking up to him and giving him a quick hug.

"Hey," he smiled back. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I will be soon," she smiled. "I was just going to get some ice."

"Ah," he nodded, feeling incredibly awkward. He really needed to do this…but not now.

"Hey, what are you doing Wednesday night?" he asked. That should give him enough time.

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Why?"

"Would you, maybe, wanna go to dinner with me?" he asked.

She smiled, "Of course."

-----------------------------------

Mark laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He'd been trying to sleep for almost two hours and it didn't look like it was going to happen. He couldn't figure out if he was mad or sad or what? He didn't know which way was up and he didn't know if it was his own fault or Dawn's. Was it hers for leaving or his for letting it effect him like this. He was mad at her for leaving. He was angry with her for the way it upset Cory and the rest of her friends. He was mad at her for walking away after he poured his heart out at her feet. He was upset because he couldn't understand why she couldn't be with him. All this damn emotion made his head feel like someone had hit him with a hammer and he couldn't stand it. If it weren't so damn late he would have gone out for a drink. He needed something to dull his senses and just make him forget so he could sleep through the night without trying to figure out who, what, when, where, why, and how.

He looked over at the clock and then back up at the ceiling. Taylor would be by to get him early and he needed to get some sleep so he didn't bite her head off on her first day of work. The last thing he needed was Chris in his face for freaking out his girlfriend or whatever she was. He closed his eyes, ordering himself to stop thinking about Dawn. She obviously wasn't too concerned with him.

-----------------------------------

Dawn hung up the phone, leaning back against her pillows. She'd just tried calling Cory but got no answer. She was probably sleeping. Dawn should have been sleeping herself but she couldn't. She thought about calling Mark but she knew that it would do nothing but make things worse. It wasn't fair for her to keep messing with his emotions. She missed him and she loved him and she wanted to tell him that but it wasn't the time. She picked up her phone again, looking through the list of contacts. When she got to John, she pressed the call button and held the phone to her ear.

After a few rings he picked up, "D, this is a surprise."

"Hi John," she smiled.

"What's up with you leaving and not letting one of your closest friends know you're going?" he asked.

"I didn't want to tell too many people," Dawn said. "I just..I have some personal things I need to work through."

"Can I help?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"I'll be okay," she assured him. "But…there is a way that you could help."

"Lay it on me," he waited.

"I need you to take care of Cory for me, while I'm gone," she said. She wasn't sure if this was why she'd called him but when she heard his voice, she knew she had to ask him. He was the only person fit for the job.

"What?" John asked, confused. "That sounds awfully cryptic Dawn."

"I don't mean to," she said. "It's just..I cant be around and I wanna be sure that she's okay…I asked her to take care of Mark and I know she'll do that with every fiber of her being and I also know that she wont take care of herself…which is why I need you to look out for her."

"Me?" John asked. "I'm not exactly at the top of her list these days."

"That doesn't matter," Dawn said. "I know you care about her and I know she cares about you. And you're the only person I trust to really take care of her, whether she likes it or not."

John laughed, "I guess."

"Will you do it?" she asked.

"Of course," he agreed. "Just don't make me do it for too long, you know she's violent."

She laughed, "It wont be _too_ long."

"Good," John said. "We already miss you."

"I miss you all too," she said. "Listen..do me one more favor."

"What's that?"

Dawn ran a hand through her hair, "Don't tell anybody that I asked you to do this."

-----------------------------------

_The Next Morning…_

"I am _so_ glad to be getting back in the ring," Cory said, her breathing just beginning to become labored as she worked out on the stair climber. Portia was next to her running on a treadmill. They were working out in the hotel gym before they headed to the arena to work out in the ring. Cory was to have her first match since her injury that night at the Smackdown taping.

"I'm happy for you," Portia smiled. "I know this has been driving you nuts."

"Oh you have _no_ idea," Cory smiled. "And it's in my hometown, which is kind of cool."

"I thought you were from New York," Portia looked confused.

"Well I spent most of my life there," Cory said. "But my parents met here and I was born here..we moved to New York later."

"Really?"

Cory nodded, "Jessie and I were both born here."

"That's fun," Portia said, opening her bottle of water and downing some of it. "So…what's up with you and Randy?"

Cory was a little surprised at the subject change but she shrugged it off, "Um..I don't really know. I'm kind of surprised by it myself."

"Why's that?" Portia asked.

"I don't know..I mean, Randy's a _great_ guy but-"

"Have you kissed?" Portia cut her off.

Cory was once again taken aback for a moment. After a couple seconds she recovered, "Yeah."

Portia's eyes went wide momentarily and Cory felt like an idiot. Somehow she'd almost forgotten how close Portia and Randy were. Just a week ago she was trying to push them together and now she was kissing Randy.

"Listen, Portia..it just happened," she said apologetically. "If you have a problem with it, just tell me now because-"

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Portia's smile seemed a tiny bit tense.

"Are you sure because-"

"I'm getting back together with John," Portia announced.

Cory's foot slipped and she nearly fell off of the stair climber. She held on and pulled herself back up, staring at her friend, "What?"

Portia described their dinner and Cory felt herself gripping the machine tighter by the second. She almost fell off again when Portia explained that the date ended with a kiss.

_Son of a bitch_

And to think, just hours before Cory had pretty much decided to give John another chance. Well..apparently he didn't need it.

_Asshole_

And what the hell was Portia's problem? She knew how Cory felt about John so why would she go after him?

"If it bothers you Cory…just tell me," Portia smiled sweetly. "I wouldn't want to ruin our friendship."

"Oh no," Cory smiled back. "Trust me..I couldn't be happier for the two of you."

-----------------------------------

"That was fun," Jessica smiled.

"Yeah it was," Hunter nodded. They being driven back to the hotel after an autograph signing with Ric Flair. "I think Ric held every baby there."

"The mothers seemed to trust him with their kids more than me," she laughed. "I don't know how I feel about that."

Hunter shrugged, "Just try not to think about it."

"Good plan," she nodded.

They rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes, both of them looking out the windows at the scenery passing by.

"So, how's James?" Hunter asked. He didn't know what made him ask the question but he supposed some part of him was wondering.

"I don't really care very much," Jessica smiled.

Hunter knew he had a surprised look on his face, "Wow..that's new."

Jessica shrugged, "I'd rather not discuss him right now."

"Then we wont," he shrugged, though he was curious about this change.

"Look at you chick magnet," she laughed, pointing to all the gifts that he got, most of them from female fans. "All I got was a stuffed animal."

"Well, excluding you of course, there are a lot of women out there who find me incredibly attractive," he smirked as they pulled up in front of the hotel.

She smiled, opening the door, "I never said I didn't think you were attractive."

She winked and got out before he could respond. Not that he knew what to say, he really wasn't sure what to think.

-----------------------------------

Taylor organized the memos that Shane McMahon had just given her and Jacinda, filing them away. Jacinda was already gone, saying that she needed to find Cory.

"Taylor, can I talk to you for a second?"

Taylor looked up, surprised. She thought Shane had left the room.

"Sure," she stood up.

"I just wanted you to know that I've heard a lot of very good things about you," Shane said. "And it speaks volumes that Mark would ask you to work for him. If you can do that, I'm convinced you can do anything."

Taylor laughed, "I'm pretty sure I can handle the job."

"Maybe sometime down the line you can take on some broader responsibilities around here," Shane said.

Taylor was surprised and didn't know exactly what to say. Shane was looking at her, waiting for a response so she smiled, "That would be wonderful, thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Shane smiled. "Just keep up the good work."

"I will," she smiled, gathering up her phone and her bag. "I'll see you later Mr. McMahon."

"Shane," he corrected her.

She smiled, offering a small wave before walking out of the conference room. Once she was in the hall, she leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She was trying so hard to act normal in there that it made her head hurt. She should be happy. She should be excited. Shane McMahon had just complimented her and practically offered her a better job sometime soon but no, she was a nervous wreck because she was in this stupid city. She wished she hadn't agreed to come here. Rooming with Cory made things easier and, of course, things were always better with Chris around but she still couldn't shake the feeling of dread that flooded her senses every time she was alone. From the second she got off of the plane she'd felt like someone was watching her, waiting for her to slip up, to do something stupid. Even standing there in the hallway she felt eyes on her. The anxiety built up and she could hear her heart beating in her ears. She closed her eyes, counting to ten, trying to tell herself that she was being paranoid.

_There's no one there..there's no one there..there's no one there…_

She opened her eyes again and looked around, her breathing slowly returning to normal when she saw that the only other person in the hall was a janitor.

She shook her head, "You're going crazy Vogle."

-----------------------------------

Mark paced back and forth, trying to get into character. Usually it was so easy. He didn't have to isolate himself the way he used to. He didn't have to sit in dark rooms or anything like that anymore. Being Undertaker was about as easy as being Mark. But today things were different. Mainly because he couldn't stay focused. Pacing around in the hallway obviously wasn't working. He needed to come up with a new plan. He decided to go find Glenn, maybe that could help. At least it could if he didn't have Jacinda up under him every minute. He didn't see how she ever got any work done for Cory because every time he needed to talk to Glenn, there she was, just..standing there. He turned to walk down the hall and nearly knocked someone over. He reached out to keep the young woman from falling and when her hair moved out of her face he recognized her.

Jacinda

He struggled to keep from rolling his eyes. Once he was sure she was steady he mumbled an apology as he turned to walk away.

"Mark."

_Damn it_

He faced her, "Yeah?"

"Can we talk for a minute?" she asked, putting her PDA and some papers into the bag on her shoulder.

He really wasn't in the mood but if Glenn's feelings were real he was going to have to get used to being around this woman a lot and get over whatever it was that he didn't like about her.

"Sure," he said. "What do you need?"

She smiled nervously, "Listen..I know that you have some.._concerns_ about my relationship with Glenn."

Mark frowned, "And how would you know that?"

She shrugged, "I can just tell…I just want you to know that, yes, things are moving a bit fast between us but..I really like Glenn..And it's pretty obvious that he feels the same way and I just hope that you can be happy for your friend."

Mark didn't know if it was her choice of words or her tone or what but he didn't like her approach to this little talk. She had this superiority complex that really rubbed him the wrong way.

"I'm always happy for my friend," Mark said. "So I guess you don't have anything to worry about."

"Good," she smiled. "Then we'll see you later."

-----------------------------------

Cory walked backstage, wrapping a towel around her neck. She'd worked out with Portia in the ring for a while but once Trish got to the arena they decided to run through their match and work out a few kinks since they had time.

"I'll see you later," Trish smiled, waving before she walked away. Cory opened her water bottle, downing half of it.

"Don't choke."

She laughed, turning around when she heard Glenn's voice.

"Before you ask," she put up a hand. "I don't know where Jacinda is right now."

Glenn laughed, "I wasn't going to ask, but I'm glad you're on your toes."

"Always," she smiled.

"I was actually looking for you," he said.

"Okay," she said, wiping her forehead with her towel. "What's up?"

"I wanted to remind you that Mark's birthday is on the 24th," Glenn said.

Cory nodded, she'd been thinking about the same thing.

"And with what's going on with Dawn, we really need to make it as good as possible," Glenn said.

She nodded, "You're right. I haven't really come up with anything yet. Have you?"

Glenn shook his head, "I've been..distracted."

"Please, no details of your sex life with my assistant," Cory put up a hand."

"I'll keep them to myself this time," Glenn laughed.

Cory tried to think of ideas for Mark's birthday but she came up blank.

"Do you know where we're gonna be on his birthday?" she asked.

"Texas," he answered.

She smiled, "That's perfect..Tell you what, let's have breakfast in the morning and start planning."

"Sounds good," he nodded. "I'm gotta go ask Dave a couple questions about our match, I'll see you later."

"Bye," she waved as he walked away. She started making her way toward the women's locker room, wiping her shoulders with the towel before draping it over her shoulders again. She smiled, her mind going back to the things she and Trish had worked on. It had been way too long since she got to have a match in front of a capacity crowd. Her smile fell when she turned the corner and saw John Cena.

_God damn it_

She turned around, walking in the other direction. Maybe he didn't see her.

"Cory!"

_Or maybe he did.._

He caught up with her and she turned to face him, pasting on a big smile. If he was moving on from her with Portia, there was no way she was going to let him see that it was bothering her.

"I was just looking for you," he said.

"Really?" she smiled. "Why?"

"I wanted to see how you're doing," he said.

_How am I doing? Why don't you go find out how _Portia's_ doing, asshole?_

"I'm just wonderful," she smiled.

"Yeah…I can tell," he gave her a suspicious look.

Before he could ask her any questions she looked over his shoulder, her smile growing wider when she spotted Randy. She caught his eye and he smiled, walking over to them and putting his arm around her shoulders, "Hey there."

"Randy," John nodded, looking somewhat disappointed.

"What's up?" Randy smiled.

"Nothing," Cory answered, looking up at him.

"Randy I kinda needed to talk to Cory for a minute," John said. "Would you excuse us?"

Randy looked down at Cory who gave John an apologetic smile, "You know..I'd love to talk but I need to go figure out what I'm wearing tonight…Randy, why don't you come with me?"

Randy shrugged, "Why not?"

-----------------------------------


	38. Chapter 38

**Okay I'm feeling a bit guilty because I promised Jeff and Viveca would be back by now but I didn't look at the planning correctly and they reappear in Chapter 39. Hopefully two updates in one night make up for my mistake. Hope ya like it, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 38...**

_7:00 P.M._

**SMACKDOWN**

Triple H and Randy Orton stood in the Evolution locker room at the beginning of the show. Triple H paced back and forth, his championship belt up on his shoulder. Randy looked somewhat apprehensive.

"Last time we saw them, there was quite a bit of tension goin on," Taz commented.

Triple H took his sunglasses off, tossing them away and looking at Randy.

"Do you know who I am Orton?" he asked.

Randy nodded.

"I cant hear you, I asked if you know who I am," Triple H got closer to his protégé.

"Of course I do," Randy nodded.

"I am the World Heavyweight Champion," he said, getting nose to nose with him, raising the belt a few inches off of his shoulder for a second.

"I know," Randy nodded.

Triple H backed away a few inches, "I do not have time to deal with your.._relationship_ issues."

Randy tried to say something but the champion cut him off.

"I don't wanna hear it!" he yelled. "Just know this…if you don't get your woman in line…I will…And you don't want me to handle this..Trust me."

"What does he mean by that?" Michael Cole asked.

"Take a wild guess Cole," Taz said as Triple H walked out of the room and Randy stared at the door.

The Intercontinental Champion looked very conflicted and he sat down on the couch, rubbing his temples. The door opened and he stood up again as John Cena walked into the room.

"What's Cena doin' in there?" Taz asked.

John looked around the room and then back to Randy, "Where's your girl at?"

"Excuse me?" Randy glared.

"Cory," John said. "Is she here?"

"What business is it of yours?" Randy asked.

John smirked, "Calm down cowboy, I just wanna thank her for the concern Monday night."

"You don't need to thank her," Randy said, glaring down his nose at the other man. "In fact..you need to stay the hell away from her."

John laughed, putting his hands up, "Look man, I'm not friends with your girlfriend. I barely even know her..I just appreciate the momentary lapse in judgment and I wanted to thank her for it…You can relax, I'm not trying to steal your woman."

"You couldn't if you did try," Randy glared.

John smirked, "Whatever…I'll see you later."

-----------------------------------

"John!" Randy followed his friend down the hall once they were done filming. "John!"

"What?" John turned, annoyed.

"When are you gonna start talking to me again?" Randy asked, frustrated. He was trying to be mature about this but John was making it difficult.

"Why should I talk to you man?" John asked.

"Because we're friends?" he suggested.

"You don't seem to remember what that means," John said. "Because a friend wouldn't chase after another friend's girl."

"She's not your girl," Randy said. "_You_ messed up…and let's not forget…I had a thing for Cory first and _you_ were the one who pretended to be dating her."

John looked surprised, he obviously hadn't expected that to come up.

"I was able to get past that but you cant handle this?" Randy asked.

John didn't say anything.

"Look, I can understand you being bothered but..I'm not gonna apologize to you because we happen to be interested in the same person," Randy said.

"I just don't get it," John shook his head. "One minute you're with Portia 24/7 and now you've switched to Cory.

Randy rolled his eyes. Why the hell did everyone have to bring Portia into this?

"Portia and I are _just friends_," Randy insisted.

"Oh really?" John smirked.

"Yes, really," Randy nodded.

"So then it doesn't bother you that I'm taking her out to dinner tomorrow?" John asked.

Randy stared for a second, not sure he'd heard right. John and Portia were going to dinner together? What the hell for?

He shook his head, John was just trying to bait him. He was being an asshole because he was jealous.

He shrugged, doing his best to seem unaffected, "I don't care. Hope you have fun."

-----------------------------------

Taylor washed her hands for the 10th time in the last hour and a half. She didn't know why but she'd always washed her hands when she was nervous. Her mother always thought it was a strange habit, but a sanitary one so she never tried to get her to stop. She held out her hands, looking down at them, trying to get them to stop shaking. She was sure everyone thought she was insane for having such a strong reaction just to being in a city but no one could understand what she felt there. Her chest felt heavier. It was harder to breathe. She was cold and shaky and she just wanted to get the hell out of there.

"It's like being a kid again," she smirked bitterly at herself. She looked into her own eyes in the mirror. The worst thing about being back there was that she couldn't seem to stop memories from flooding to the forefront of her mind. Memories that she did her best to suppress.

"_Mom, where are we going?" Taylor asked, looking up at her mother as she dropped an empty suitcase on the bed and started shoving clothes into it. Her mother didn't answer her at first, opening her dresser drawers and pulling out armfuls of clothes, dropping them into the suitcase._

"_Mom!" Taylor exclaimed. "Where are we going?"_

"_I don't know Taylor!" her mother exclaimed. "I don't know but we have to go, we have to get out of here."_

"_We cant," Taylor shook her head. "You know what he said. If we leave, he'll just find us."_

"_Baby, listen to me," Nancy came over to her, taking her face in her hands. "It's a mother's job to take care of their children and make sure they're safe…And I haven't done a very good job of that since you were born..And you will _never_ know how sorry I am for that..but I'm trying to start now..We have to go."_

_Taylor wanted to tell her mom what a good mother she was and how much she loved her but the urgency in her mother's eyes told her that could wait. Instead, she walked over to the dresser, pulling out more clothes, helping her pack. She wanted to leave, desperately..but she was scared. Would he really let them leave? Was it possible to be free of him?_

_Then…the doorknob started to turn. Nancy's eyes widened in fear and Taylor could feel her heart beating through her chest. Normally he made so much noise when he got home, how did he make it up the stairs without them hearing. When he realized the door was locked her started jerking it back and forth, over and over as if he couldn't believe someone would actually try to keep him out. Then he hit the door hard, just once._

_Nancy closed the suitcase, standing in front of her daughter. Taylor jumped as his fist slammed into the door again. She knew it was his fist. It was a sound she was very familiar with._

"_Nancy!" he hit the door again. "What the hell are you doing in there?"_

_Nancy held Taylor firmly behind her. Taylor rested her forehead against her mother's back, squeezing her eyes shut tight. She knew it. She knew they wouldn't be able to leave. Why didn't her mother listen?_

"_Nancy open this god damn door!" he yelled. "NOW!"_

"Taylor!"

Taylor jumped, gasping when she heard someone knocking on the door.

"Taylor, say something."

She put a hand over her chest, trying to calm her heart. It was Chris.

"Taylor!" he called her name again. He sounded worried.

"Yeah," she said, hoping she didn't sound as shaken as she felt. "I'll be right out."

-----------------------------------

Chris paced back and forth as he waited for Taylor to come out of the bathroom. After the Highlight Reel, he'd come back to the dressing room to talk to her. When he got there he saw that she'd locked herself in the bathroom. He could hear the water running but for a while she wasn't making a sound. Once he called her name a few times she said she'd come out but she still hadn't opened the door yet. He was about to knock again when the door opened and she walked out. She looked pale. Her face was damp and her hands were red and shaking.

"Are you okay?" he asked. It was a stupid question but he wasn't sure what else to say.

"I'm fine," she nodded. "I'm just..tired."

Chris sighed, running a hand over his hair. She was lying to him. Something was wrong, very wrong. A person didn't shake from terror or fear or whatever for no reason. Visiting their hometown was usually a treat for people on the road but it instilled fear in Taylor and Chris was more determined than ever to find out what made her this way.

-----------------------------------

_SMACKDOWN_

The crowd had a surprisingly positive reaction when Cory's music began and she made her way out onto the ramp. Some of them started to boo when Randy Orton appeared beside her.

"I'm surprised Orton's out here," Michael Cole said.

"If you had a girlfriend like that you'd be by her side all the time," Taz laughed.

"Earlier tonight Triple H told Randy to get her in line, do you think he's done that Taz?" Michael asked.

"They look like they're gettin along to me," Taz shrugged.

Cory was all smiles as they got into the ring and waited for her opponent, Trish Stratus.

_5 Minutes Later…_

"Is she okay?" Michael Cole asked as the referee checked on Cory. She'd come down wrong on her knee and seemed to be having some sort of problem with it. She was sitting on the floor outside the ring and the ref was checking on her. Trish was standing in the ring, waiting.

The camera cut to Randy Orton who was looking around, a concerned expression on his face. Then, he smiled, walking around the ring.

"What's Orton doin'?" Taz asked.

He got his answer when Randy slid into the ring behind Trish.

"Oh come on," Michael Cole said, disgusted. "Leave her alone!"

Randy grabbed Trish's arm and turned her around, giving her an RKO.

"Oh my God!" Taz exclaimed.

"I cant believe he just did that!" Michael yelled.

Randy slid out of the ring quickly and walked over, checking on his fiance. Once he and the referee were assured she was okay, she he and the ref got back into the ring where Trish was just beginning to stir.

Cory frowned, looking out to Randy.

"Does Cory know what happened?" Taz asked.

"She didn't see a thing," Michael said as Cory trained a suspicious eye on Randy.

Randy encouraged her to focus on the match and she turned, just as Trish made it to her feet. Trish bounced off of the ropes but Cory jumped over her head avoiding her attempt at a clothesline. As Trish came off of the ropes again, Cory used a spinning heel kick to knock the blonde to the canvas again.

"Wow," Taz said, impressed with Cory's athleticism.

Trish got back up and hit Cory with a forearm to the face, knocking her back a few inches. Then, she grabbed the brunette's arm, twisting it viciously. Cory winced in pain then put her free hand on the canvas and did a cartwheel to relieve the pressure on her arm and looped Trish's arm around her neck, executing a perfect Northern Lights suplex with a bridge, pinning the other woman.

1..2..3

Cory let Trish go, jumping to her feet as Randy rushed into the ring.

"That was a damn good match Cole," Taz said.

"It would have been much better if Randy Orton hadn't taken Trish out of the game," Michael said bitterly.

Randy picked Cory up, spinning her around as they celebrated her win. He put her down, hugging her tightly. Then, a replay of his RKO on Trish played on the titan-tron. Randy wasn't facing it but Cory was and her smile fell as she saw what he did.

"Uh oh," Taz said.

"Cory really didn't know what happened," Michael said as she pulled away from Randy, staring at him in disbelief.

Randy seemed confused by her sudden change in mood and reached out to hug her again but she moved away before he could touch her, storming out of the ring.

-----------------------------------

Cory and Randy passed through the curtains and walked into the backstage area. Once she knew she was in the clear and didn't have to look unhappy, Cory smiled from ear to ear, squeaking as she jumped up and down. She couldn't describe how incredible it felt to be back in the ring again. She turned to Randy who smiled, "That was great."

"That was so much _fun_," she smiled, hugging him. "_God_ I missed that."

She was doing a little happy dance and Randy was laughing at her until they both laid eyes on the same sight. Portia and John were near one of the production tables, laughing and talking. She had a hand on his arm and looked up at him as if there was no one else around. That was not what Cory needed to see. Her mood took a complete nosedive.

"Well you certainly didn't show any signs of ring rust," Trish came through the curtain, patting Cory on the shoulder.

"Hm?" Cory turned to the shorter woman.

"You were great," Trish smiled, giving her a hug.

"Thanks," Cory said, distracted. She looked up at Randy who was still looking at Portia and John, a confused expression on his face. He was probably almost as bothered by it as she was.

Trish saw what he was looking at and shook her head, "You know..I heard they're getting back together…I guess in a weird way it's kind of cute."

Cory stared at her and Randy made a face, "Yeah…it's _adorable_."

"Sorry," Trish shrugged before walking away.

Cory rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Leave it to John to ruin a perfectly good moment. And Portia…she wasn't sure how she felt about Portia at the moment.

"Hey," Randy looked down at his watch. "You gotta get to the locker room before we get back from commercial."

"Shit I almost forgot," she started walking. Then she smiled, remembering what she would get to do in the next segment.

-----------------------------------

_SMACKDOWN_

The show returned from commercial with Corinne Flair in the Evolution, angrily packing her things into a gym bag.

"She definitely aint happy about what went down earlier tonight Cole," Taz observed.

"Can you blame her?" Michael Cole asked. "She's obviously been uncomfortable with some of Evolution's dubious acts since she returned from her knee injury. It's pretty clear that the last thing she wanted was for Randy Orton to do what he did."

"He was just trying to help his girlfriend," Taz laughed.

Cory zipped her bag just as the door to the room opened.

Portia Kelly walked in and Cory rolled her eyes.

"What is your problem?" Portia asked, apparently annoyed.

Cory put her bag up on her shoulder and tried to walk past the other woman but Portia grabbed her arm and made her face her.

"These ladies aren't exactly the best of friends Cole," Taz said.

"Portia Kelly is the one who put Cory out of action for 6 months."

"Look," Portia glared. "You need to learn to be more grateful for what you have..because if you don't appreciate it…you'll lose it."

Cory looked down at the hand on her arm and then back to Portia's face, "Get your hand off of me..because if you don't…you'll lose it."

Portia shook her head, laughing bitterly, "I don't know why I thought the two of us could get along…You always have been a _bitch_."

That was enough for Cory. Without warning, she hit Portia right in the face.

"Oh my!" Michael exclaimed.

Portia hit her back and the fight was on. Portia grabbed Cory by the hair and Cory hit her in the face again. Soon they were stumbling around the room hitting each other about the head and shoulders.

"Somebody's gonna get hurt," Taz laughed as they fell onto the couch with Cory on top raining right hands down on the other woman. Then, Ric Flair and Batista came into the room. When they saw what was going on, Batista grabbed Cory and lifted her off of Portia, holding her back while Ric kept Portia from attacking his daughter.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Batista asked angrily.

"Stop it!" Ric yelled as Portia tried to get away from him. "Do I need to remind you that we have other things to focus on tonight?"

"Then maybe you should tell that _bitch_ to stay out of my face!" Cory said, struggling to get out of Batista's grasp.

"Stop!" Ric pointed at her. "We need to get it together. We all have to be at ringside tonight during Triple H's contract signing with The Undertaker. We need to show a _united front_."

The two women were still struggling as Matt Hardy's music began and he made his way to the ring for his match.

-----------------------------------

"Ladies, you can stop now," Dave laughed as the camera man walked out of the locker room.

Cory didn't even realize that they were finished shooting. She hated to admit it but a tiny part of her was enjoying that particular segment. She could see in Portia's eyes that she was feeling the same way.

"That was some pretty good acting," Dave let go of her arms and Cory laughed, a little out of breath.

"I really thought you two were gonna rip each other's hair out," Ric laughed as he released Portia.

Cory thought so too. She could see some of her dark hairs tangled around Portia's fingers. She didn't have much hair on her hands but her hand was still stinging from that first slap. She was surprised Portia didn't have a hand print on her face.

"This looked like one of your early catfights," Dave laughed. "You're not back to hating each other, are you?"

"Of course not," Cory smiled. "Why would we hate each other?"

Portia smiled a tense smile, "We would never hurt each other on purpose…We're friends."

-----------------------------------

Savannah looked at the calendar, tapping a pen against her chin. She'd been trying all day to figure out the perfect date. The perfect time. The perfect day to put the wheels in motion. She was going to make his life as miserable as hers and everything had to be _just right_.

She giggled a little, imagining the look on his face when he got the news. God it was going to be great. If she could only choose a day.

She frowned, nothing in March really jumped out at her. She flipped to the next page in the calendar and there it was.

_Sunday, April 4th_

Wrestlemania. That was a big deal to him. The most important day of the year as far as his career was concerned. He'd explained to her when they were together how much work, how many months of preparation went into that one day. It was exactly what she was looking for. She wouldn't have to wait too long and there would be a sweet irony that came with it.

She smiled, circling the date with her pen, "It's perfect."

-----------------------------------

"So are you going to see your mom while we're here?" Cory asked, sitting on the couch in the women's dressing room. She'd never been terribly fond of Jessica's mother but she knew that they were close.

Jessica nodded, "Yeah, she wants to have breakfast in the morning."

"That should be fun," Cory smiled.

She'd tried her best from the day she met her to like Jessica's mother but Brenda's hatred for Cory's mother, Adelle, seemed to extend to Cory. She'd tried to raise Jessica to resent Cory for growing up with money when she didn't. Cory was always grateful that Jessica didn't listen to her mom. She looked at the monitor in the corner of the room, rolling her eyes when she saw that John's match with Shelton was on. Did he have to be everywhere?

"So what's up with James?" she asked, trying to distract herself. "Did he get the Wrestlemania tickets you sent him?"

"He got them," Jessica nodded, touching up her makeup. She still had to be at ringside for the contract signing at the end of the show..

"Your tone tells me there's a but," Cory smirked.

"But he's not coming," Jessica said.

"Excuse moi?" Cory put a hand to her chest. "He told you he's not coming? And you didn't fly out there and kick him in the nuts?"

"No, no I didn't," Jessica shook her head.

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Cory glared.

"I'm gonna handle it," Jessica smiled. "Just wait and see."

"Uh oh, Jessie's got something fun planned," Cory smiled.

Jessica nodded, "Yes, unlike my kid sister, my love life is not a soap opera."

"My love life is _not_ a soap opera," Cory said, turning her attention back to the monitor just as John pinned Shelton for a 3 count.

She smiled, knowing what was coming next. John got up, celebrating his win as the crowd cheered him on. Then, there was an uproar in the audience as Randy ran through the crowd and jumped the security barricade, sliding into the ring unnoticed. Her eyes weren't quite sure where to focus. John was shirtless and breathing heavily and Randy was in pants and an Evolution t-shirt, that smug yet incredibly attractive little smirk on his face.

When John turned around, he walked right into an RKO and Randy was booed loudly as he yelled something in John's face before getting up and posing in the ring.

"Is it wrong that I got some sort of sick pleasure out of that?" Cory asked.

"How long are you gonna be mad at John?"

"I don't know yet," Cory shrugged.

"You really should give him another chance," Jessica advised, sitting beside her, laughing a little as Michael Cole's voice came from the monitor, asking if Randy's attack on John had anything to do with his interaction with Cory on Raw.

"Um..I believe you told me to give John a chance before," Cory said. "And look where that got me."

"He made a mistake," Jessica said. "An embarrassing one, yes, but still..everyone makes mistakes. _Especially_ guys."

"It's just not gonna work Jess," Cory insisted. "Besides..right now I'm..seeing where things might go with Randy."

Jessica rolled her eyes.

"What was that for?" Cory asked. "There's nothing wrong with Randy. He's gorgeous, he's talented, funny..sometimes..I like being around him."

"No, there's nothing _wrong_ with him but…is there any _spark_ with you and Randy?"

"Of course there is," Cory insisted. "..I think."

-----------------------------------


	39. Chapter 39

**Ah my peeps, how I've missed you. I apologize for the update taking so long, I was having a rough time in practically all aspects of life - boyfriend, job, health and what have you- and I'll be honest, I had zero time or motivation to write...but things have gotten leaps and bounds better on all fronts and the creative juices are flowing once again so I will do my best to get back to regular updates. Hope you're all doing well and there will be another update tomorrow. Brace yourselves peeps, in the coming chapters many secrets will be revealed..mwahaha. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!! Peace!**

**Chapter 39...**

"Chris told me you weren't feeling too well during the show," Cory said as she drove toward the hotel. Taylor had been quiet all night, barely saying a word when they got in the car. She was resting her head against the car window, looking out into the night.

"I'm just tired," Taylor shrugged. "Not sleeping too well."

"I noticed you had some dark circles under your eyes," Jacinda piped up from the back seat.

Cory frowned, briefly looking over her shoulder at her assistant. She needed to work on her people skills sometimes.

"Thanks Jacinda," Taylor said dryly, sitting up straighter. "I'll work on those."

"I didn't mean it that way," Jacinda said, apologetic. "I just meant..I noticed that you were tired."

Taylor nodded, "I probably wont be getting any sleep tonight either so you might not wanna look at me tomorrow."

Jacinda sat back and Cory could hear her pressing buttons on her phone.

Cory felt so bad for her friend. She knew this whole trip had her on edge and thus far, she hadn't done much to make it better for her. She had an idea. It wasn't exactly going to fix any problems but it would probably distract her for a while.

"You know what we should do tonight?" she smiled.

"Sleep?" Jacinda looked up from her PDA.

"Well Taylor seems to think that isn't going to happen _so_…we should go and get some junk food and some movies and pig out," Cory suggested.

"I would but I am not the nicest person when I haven't gotten my 8 hours," Jacinda laughed.

"Taylor?" Cory turned into a grocery store parking lot.

"Sure, I guess," Taylor shrugged.

Cory parked the car.

"Leave it on, I think I'll stay here," Jacinda said.

"Okay," Cory shrugged, leaving the keys in the ignition and getting out of the car. "Come on Taylor."

"_Cory_," Taylor gave her a pointed look.

Cory leaned back into the car, "We're at a grocery store in the middle of the night..Nothing is going to happen."

Taylor sighed, unbuckling her seatbelt and Cory closed her door, waiting for her to get out of the car.

"Come on, it wont be that bad," Cory looped her arm through Taylor's. "Everybody loves junk food."

Taylor laughed, "I guess."

They entered the store and a few of the clerks looked excited when they saw Cory but they gave the women space. She smiled and waved at them before getting a cart, "Where to first?"

"I vote chips first," Taylor said, seeming to relax a little.

"Chip aisle it is," Cory nodded, looking at the signs and then pushing the cart in the right direction. After about 30 seconds in the aisle, they had 4 bags of chips in the cart.

"We should probably pick up some Pepto or something too," Cory laughed.

"Probably," Taylor laughed, picking up a can of Pringles.

"You like salt and vinegar Pringles?" Cory put a hand over her heart. "My God I think we might be separated at birth."

-----------------------------------

Taylor laughed picking up another can and dropping it into the cart. She was starting to feel a little better. She really appreciated Cory trying to make her have a little fun. For years she didn't really have friends, it was nice knowing that now she had people that wanted to be there for her. She just needed to get through one more day in Detroit and then they could leave and she wouldn't have to worry so much.

"Okay I think this is enough chips," Cory laughed. "We need room for other things."

Taylor took over pushing the cart as they navigated the aisles of the store. While Cory read the calorie amounts of various carbonated beverages, a strange feeling started to creep up the back of Taylor's neck and she started to feel cold. She looked around and spotted a young man standing at the end of the aisle, his eyes fixed on her. Taylor's heart started to beat faster and she looked away quickly. She didn't recognize him but from the way he was staring, it was obvious he recognized her. She started pushing the cart to the other end of the aisle and Cory quickly followed, carrying two bottles of diet root beer.

"Where are we going?" Cory asked.

Taylor wanted to respond but her jaw was clenched shut and all she could concentrate on was walking away.

"Taylor!"

She froze when she heard her name. That wasn't Cory's voice.

"Taylor Everett?"

Taylor quickly moved around the corner, closing her eyes.

_Go away, go away, go away_

-----------------------------------

Cory caught up to Taylor, confused, "Who is that?"

Taylor's eyes were shut tight and she didn't move. Cory looked down and saw that she had a white knuckle grip on the shopping cart.

"Taylor?" Cory dropped the bottles in the cart and put a hand on Taylor's shoulder.

"I don't know," Taylor shook her head. "I don't know who that is."

"He knew your name," Cory pointed out. Though, last she knew, Taylor's last name was Vogle.

"I _know_ but I don't know him," Taylor said.

"Taylor Everett," the young man came around the corner. "_No way_."

Cory didn't know what the story was here but for whatever reason Taylor was terrified so she needed to do something.

Cory turned, giving the man a confused look and partially blocking his view of Taylor, "Who?"

"Taylor Everett," he looked at Cory as if she was stupid.

"I'm sorry I don't know who that is," Cory shook her head, she looked back at Taylor, "Do you know who that is?"

Taylor shook her head, trying to look confused as well.

"You're standing with her," the guy laughed. "You should know who it is."

"Her?" Cory laughed, looking over her shoulder.

"Uh, yeah," he rolled his eyes.

"This is my sister," Cory said. "Last I checked her name wasn't Taylor."

"Oh come on," he rolled his eyes, trying to get around her. "That is-"

"Hun, the whole mistaken identity thing isn't really the best way to pick up a pretty girl," Cory smirked. "Why don't you go walk around for a minute and then talk to us again when you think of a better approach, hm?"

The young man looked frustrated but Cory quirked her brow and gave him her best 'Is there anything else?' expression.

"Whatever," he threw his hands up, walking away. As he walked, he kept looking over his shoulder and before he rounded the corner, Cory waved for him to move a little faster. Once he was gone, she turned and faced Taylor. Taylor was still gripping the cart. She looked like she was about to faint.

"Why don't you go sit in the car with Jacinda?" Cory suggested. "I'll finish up in here, okay?"

Taylor nodded, "Okay."

-----------------------------------

Mark lugged his bag out of the backseat and pulled it up onto his shoulder. He was tired and his right knee was giving him trouble.

"I'm getting' old," he mumbled to himself as he walked toward the hotel's front doors. As he got closer, he heard a familiar voice. He turned to see John getting out of his car, cell phone pressed to his ear. They hadn't talked too much since Mark bruised his cheek and he supposed they needed to address that at some point. No time like the present.

"I'll talk to you later…Yeah..Bye."

John hung up the phone as he got near the door.

"Can I talk to you?" Mark asked.

John shrugged, "What's up?"

"How's your face?" Mark asked.

"It's okay," John shrugged again. "Bruise is gone."

Mark took a deep breath. There wasn't any obvious hostility coming from the younger man, that was good. He didn't want a confrontation.

"Listen..I'm not gonna apologize for hitting you," Mark said. "You have to understand the way I feel about Cory."

John waited for an explanation.

"See, she's not just my friend..She might as well be my sister," Mark said. "My baby sister. And if anyone hurts her or upsets her in any way, they have to be prepared to deal with me. Especially if that person thinks it's a good idea to brag about having sex with her."

Mark frowned again at having to mention Cory and sex in the same statement. He'd tried to convince himself a long time ago that she didn't even do that.

"I understand why you were pissed," John nodded. "But you gotta understand that I didn't mean for that to happen."

Mark nodded, "People make mistakes…But if anything like that ever happens again..you'll get more than just a bruise."

"I know," John laughed a little. "We cool?"

Mark nodded, shaking his hand.

They walked into the lobby toward the elevators.

"You know, it's not me you have to worry about now," John said. "It's Randy."

Mark frowned, Cory's love life was starting to make him dizzy, "_Randy_? She doesn't like Randy."

John laughed, "She seems to think she does."

Mark shook his head, "What did you do now?"

"Why does it have to be something _I_ did?" John looked offended.

Mark gave him a look.

John sighed, "I don't even know what I did this time..All of a sudden everything is ass backwards. Randy and Cory are dating and I'm going to dinner with Portia tomorrow."

"Why are you doing that?" Mark asked.

"Well originally I was just going so I could let Portia down easy because I wanted Cory but now that Cory is going out with Randy…I don't really know."

Mark laughed, shaking his head, "You know, I'm glad I'm not in my 20's anymore…I don't have the patience for the games you all play."

-----------------------------------

Cory walked out of the bathroom, brushing her hair up into a ponytail. She and Taylor had been back at the hotel for quite some time. They'd both taken showers and changed, all of their junk food was sitting on the couch untouched. Taylor was sitting on her bed, flipping through the same small stack of papers she'd been looking at before Cory took her shower. The entire ride back from the store she had this vacant look on her face and she'd barely spoken a word since they got back. Cory wasn't exactly sure to say. She plopped down at the foot of her bed, pulled lotion out of her bag and started putting it on her legs.

"Cory?"

She turned to face her friend, putting the lotion away, "Yeah?"

Taylor put down the papers she was looking at but her eyes didn't meet Cory's, "Thank you..I really appreciate what you did for me at the store."

Cory nodded, "You're my friend Taylor, if you need help I'm always here..but..why exactly was I lying to that guy?"

-----------------------------------

Taylor closed her eyes. She knew Cory was going to ask. She had every right to ask why she had to lie to a stranger for her. But Taylor couldn't answer her. She just couldn't.

"I don't wanna talk about it," she shook her head. "I just..I cant."

Cory sighed but she didn't ask again and Taylor wanted to reach out and hug her for that. Before either of them could say anything else, Cory's phone started ringing. She picked it up, rolling her eyes when she looked to see who was calling.

"John?" Taylor asked, grateful for the distraction from.

Cory smirked, "Worse..my mother. I'll call her in the morning."

They were quiet for a little while longer, more comfortably this time. Taylor put her papers away and Cory packed up her bag then climbed into her bed. They both watched TV and Taylor started to feel relaxed again. She looked over at Cory who was setting the alarm on her phone.

"Cory..what are your parents like?" she asked. She wasn't sure what made her think she could ask a personal question when she didn't give anything up in return but Cory had always been open with her.

"My parents?" Cory smirked.

Taylor nodded.

"Well," Cory shrugged. "My mother is..she and I don't always get along. We have _very_ different views on things. Namely every aspect of my life."

"She doesn't like you wrestling?" Taylor asked.

"She doesn't like me doing much of anything that I enjoy," Cory laughed. "You see, Adelle Spencer Cambridge Samms Tucker Jensen Harrison Rutledge spent all of her young years spending money and marrying men with even more and she seems confused as to why I'm not following in her footsteps."

"I thought Regina said she owned a talent agency," Taylor said.

"She does, she started it a few years ago," Cory said. "She was a full time socialite. She's judgmental, snobby, materialistic..Everything you'd want in a mom really."

Taylor laughed.

"I love her, I do," Cory said. "I just cant stand her most of the time."

"And your dad?" Taylor asked.

A smile slowly spread across Cory's face, "My dad was..the most incredible person I've ever known."

The smile on Cory's face was infectious, Taylor felt the corners of her mouth lifting as well.

"He owned a movie production company and yet he spent every second that he could with us. He never wanted us to feel like we weren't his first priority. He would fly home from a set just to take us to the park or the zoo or just have a big family dinner."

"Wow," Taylor said. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a parent like that.

"I'll never forget the day I found out he wasn't really my father," Cory said, pulling her knees up.

Taylor was a little surprised but waited for Cory to explain.

"It was my 7th birthday party Ethan and Adelle went all out. It was a carnival theme, they had rides set up on our property, clowns, ponies, a cotton candy machine, basically every ridiculous thing I asked for..and my mother sent my brother EJ to tell me it was time to open the presents. I wasn't ready yet and I acted like a total brat and I guess I'd been a little snippy with EJ all day…right in front of my friends he told me that Ethan wasn't really my dad…I ran into the house and locked myself in my room and Ethan came after me…I opened the door for him and cried my eyes out."

"Who could blame you?"

"Ethan made me sit up and he put his hands on my shoulders and calmed me down," Cory said. "And he looked at me and he said we have the same last name for a reason..He said I may not be your _father_, we might not share blood…but I will always be your dad and you'll always be my little girl…After that, we never even talked about it again. There was no reason to. He was right."

Taylor felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes and she wasn't sure if it was because she was touched by Cory's father's words or because it made her think of her own father. He'd never loved her like that. He didn't love her at all. She was a burden, nothing but trouble. An abhorrent _thing_ that he would never be rid of. Before she could stop them, tears were trailing paths from her eyes down to her chin. Cory came and sat in front of her, looking at her with such compassion that Taylor could do nothing but look away.

Cory grabbed her hands, "Taylor, look at me."

Taylor obliged, embarrassed that she'd let her emotions get the better of her once again.

"I don't know what your family life was like before…but you're a part of a family now," Cory said. "Just because we aren't all related by blood doesn't mean we don't love each other and take care of each other. You _always_ have people who are here for you for _whatever_ you need. Got it?"

Taylor smiled through her tears but didn't trust herself to speak. It dawned on her that Chris finding her on the side of the road that night was the best thing that could have happened to her. She had no idea where she'd be if it weren't for him and Cory and Viveca. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve meeting these people but she was glad she'd done it. She reached forward, hugging Cory tightly and Cory hugged her back, "You gonna be okay?"

Taylor nodded.

"Good," Cory pulled away and smiled at her. "Now get some sleep."

-----------------------------------


	40. Chapter 40

**Peeps, I apologize for not getting the update done the next day as planned. I'm gonna _try_ to get another one done in a few hours, I'm really excited about where the story is going. I hope you are too. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 40...**

_Wednesday Morning…_

Jeff sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at Viveca. She'd been incredibly quiet since they arrived in New Jersey. He'd had to handle the calls of her friends calling to check up on her because she didn't want to talk to anyone. Sometimes he felt like she didn't want _him_ around but then just when he thought maybe he should leave her alone for a while she would wrap her arms around him or lay her head on his shoulder and he knew that she needed him. Now, she was standing in front of the mirror in a black dress, her dark hair hanging in loose waves. She'd done her makeup a few times already that morning but every time she finished she would tear up and have to fix it. After a while he'd managed to convince her to just leave it alone. He got up, walking over to her and putting a hand on her back. He caught her eyes in the mirror and wished there was something he could do or say to make her feel better. He knew there wasn't though. He couldn't bring her father back. All he could do was be there for her and do whatever she needed him to do.

"You ready to go?" he sighed, smoothing the back of her hair.

She gently shook her head, "No..I cant do this…I don't think I can do it Jeff."

"Yes you can," he turned her around, pulling her into a hug. "You have to, for your dad."

"I know but…" she trailed off and he could tell that she was struggling to fight off tears again.

"I'll be right there with you," he assured her. "I promise."

She took a deep breath and pulled away, looking up at him with glassy green eyes, "Okay...let's go."

-----------------------------------

"So apparently she has some awesome stomp on his balls breakup planned," Cory smiled excitedly. "I mean, she didn't use those words exactly but I could tell the gears were grinding."

"Oh yeah?" Hunter sat back in his chair. Cory had woken him up with her chipper knocking on his door and once he let her in she relayed her conversation with Jessica and her sister's impending breakup with James. Cory's blue eyes were bright with excitement but for some reason Hunter wasn't bouncing out of his seat. He was happy that Jessica was leaving that idiot, of course, but..not as much as he thought he'd be.

Cory frowned and then one of her eyebrows slowly arched toward her hairline, "Oh yeah? That's it?"

He smirked a little, slightly amused at her reaction. She could be so dramatic sometimes.

"Hunter, are you still asleep or something?" she asked, obviously frustrated. "This is what we've been hoping for since..since we met, basically. It's how we became friends. Come on..get your head in the game."

Hunter laughed a little and decided it would be better to appease her than share his confusion, "You know, I think you hit the nail on the head, I'm still asleep…Since _someone_ woke me up at an ungodly hour."

"It's not even that early," Cory laughed.

"Any time that is earlier than I absolutely _have_ to be up is an ungodly hour," Hunter explained. "Catch me in a few hours and I'll be jumping for joy, I swear."

"You better be," she pointed, putting her purse over her shoulder. "I gotta go meet Glenn. But once you get up and shower, call Jessie. She's having breakfast with her mom this morning so when she gets back she may need a little cheering up."

"I'll keep that in mind," Hunter nodded. "Be good."

She smiled at him and winked, "Aren't I always?"

-----------------------------------

Mark stood up, wiping his forehead with a towel. He'd been working out for almost two hours now and he didn't feel like stopping yet. He couldn't remember the last time he had so much pent up frustration. He looked over at his gym bag in the corner and saw his phone resting on top, the light coming from it signaling that he had missed a call. He walked over, flipping it open and looking through the list of names: Cory called once, then Glenn, and finally Taylor. He'd get back to all of them later. If he knew Cory she was just calling to say good morning and check up on him, same with Glenn, and Taylor probably just wanted his approval on something. She didn't leave a message so it must not have been too pressing. He sat down, trying to roll his shoulders, wincing in pain when he realized just how tense he was. This thing with Dawn was driving him up the wall and it showed no signs of ending soon. He opened his phone again, scrolling down to her number. He just sat there, staring at it, his finger hovering above the call button. He wanted to hear her voice, he wanted to make her tell him what was going on. She owed him some sort of explanation, didn't she? If he decided to up and leave like that, she would have expected something from him, wouldn't she? He closed the phone, knowing that there was no point in calling. She wasn't going to answer. If she'd changed her mind about talking to him, she would have picked up the phone and told him so.

He'd even tried calling her mother once but she claimed not to know anything. Her mother had always liked Mark but she and Dawn were tight and if Dawn asked her to keep quiet, she wouldn't say a word, no matter how much Mark buttered her up. He shook his head, tossing the phone away, wincing again at the soreness in his neck. She'd driven him crazy and now he was physically beginning to suffer. And she didn't care. She didn't care how her leaving effected him, she was just thinking about what _she_ wanted. She was shutting him out of her life so he needed to start shutting her out of his mind. He stood up, trying to roll his shoulders again, a plan already forming in his mind. The best way to forget about someone who didn't want him…was to find someone who did.

-----------------------------------

Liam Johnson sat on the steps in front of his house, his elbows resting on his knees. He could hear his mother on the phone inside giving someone directions. Who called the grieving widow to get directions. Hadn't they ever heard of Mapquest?

He knew he should probably be inside helping her but he just..he couldn't. Every time he looked at his mother the backs of his eyes started to sting and he had to blink away tears. He'd never seen two people who loved each other more than his parents so he couldn't imagine what she was feeling now that the person she planned to be with forever was gone. Lianna and William were in the house, they were better at things like this. They were both strong, sometimes Liam thought _nothing_ could shake them. They would help her get through this.

He wasn't sitting outside solely for that reason though…part of him was still holding out hope that Viveca would be there. William and Lianna were convinced that she wasn't coming. She'd known about it for days and hadn't called or anything. Liam could understand why they thought she wouldn't show but he just couldn't give up hope yet. She loved their father dearly, despite the rift that had formed between her and the family. There was no way that she wouldn't be there to honor his memory. He read on the internet that she had been pulled from a few shows because of a family matter…She wouldn't take the time off and not come..would she?

"Liam."

He looked over his shoulder when he heard his sister's voice. Lianna was leaning out the door, a very sympathetic expression on her face.

"Yeah?"

"It's almost time to go," she explained. "You should come inside, I finished your tie, it's on the bed."

"Thanks," Liam nodded. "I'll be in soon."

She walked out, her heels clicking on the ground and she knelt beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "The rest of us are here for you…you know that, right?"

"I know Li," he nodded. "I just..I want her to be here."

Though he was closest to Lianna now, growing up Viveca was his favorite person in the world. He'd trailed after her like a puppy for many of his young years.

"I know," she ran a hand over his hair. "Just come in soon, Mom wants you to eat something before we go."

He nodded and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking back into the house.

He was about to get up when he saw an unfamiliar car coming toward the house. He sighed, prepared to tell whatever lost family member it was the proper directions. The car pulled into the driveway and Liam was quite surprised when the driver got out. He looked very different in a dark suit with his hair pulled back but that was most definitely Jeff Hardy. He walked around the car and opened the door and Liam stood up as he helped her out of the car. She had large dark sunglasses covering her eyes but he didn't need to see her eyes to know that he was finally seeing his sister in person for the first time in years. It was about time.

-----------------------------------

Viveca got out of the car and took Jeff's hand. She hoped that whenever she started to feel better, she would find some way to accurately express her gratitude to him. There was no way she could handle this without him. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and his hand let go of hers and found a spot on her back, gently guiding her toward the steps. With every step she took toward the house she got more nervous. Her eyes were glued to her feet. What if they just told her to leave? She hadn't exactly called to say she would be there. Her mother knew Taylor made the arrangements but Viveca hadn't even picked up the phone to check on her. Her family had every right to turn her away.

"Who's that?" Jeff asked quietly.

It took her a second but she tore her eyes from the ground and looked up at the house. There was a young man on the steps. He looked tall, probably around Jeff's height. He had short, dark hair that was slightly unruly and a strong, lean build. She took off her sunglasses and looked until green eyes rimmed with thick jet black lashes. He looked _very_ different but she knew those eyes. The last time she saw Liam, she hadn't gotten a good look at him at the hospital, he was short and pudgy. Now he was like a pretty boy version of their father. He'd grown up so much.

"V?" a smile spread across his face.

Before she knew what was happening her feet were moving. She ran up the walk and quickly up the stairs, wrapping her arms tightly around her youngest sibling. She was hugging him so hard she thought she might hurt him but she couldn't stop. He didn't seem to mind as he squeezed her back, lifting her off of the ground.

"I missed you V," he said as he put her down.

She reached up, putting her hands on the sides of his face, "I missed you too."

-----------------------------------

"Where are we going first?" Randy asked as he and Cory got off of the elevator and walked toward the lobby.

"I haven't decided yet," she said. "I think I need some shoes."

"You _need_ some?" Randy smirked.

"Yes, I do," she nodded. She pointed down at her heels, "These were the last ones I bought and that was like..three weeks ago."

Randy laughed, shaking his head, "So..did you and Glenn figure out things for Mark's birthday?"

"Pretty much," she confirmed. "While we're in Texas I'm staying with him at the ranch. Glenn's gonna get him out of the house on his birthday during the day while we set everything up."

"We?" he smirked, looking down at her.

She smiled sweetly, batting her thick lashes, "Well, I was hoping maybe you'd help out a little."

"Were you?" he asked.

She nodded, "It wouldn't just be you and me, we'd get a few more people."

He stopped walking, his lips forming his trademark smirk, "I suppose I could be persuaded to help."

"Oh really?" she smiled. "And how could I accomplish that?"

He leaned close to her, stopping just before their lips touched, "I can think of a few ideas."

-----------------------------------

Jeff felt very strange walking into Viveca's childhood home. It wasn't quite what he'd pictured. Despite the mood, the house itself was warm and cozy. He'd been in Viveca's apartment and that place was full of stiff uncomfortable furniture and expensive paintings. She didn't even have any family pictures up. This house was inviting, there wasn't a single painting to be seen, the walls were adorned with images of the family, some posed, some candid, some black and white, some in color. Liam led the way through the large living room and into the kitchen.

"Look who showed up," Liam said, getting the attention of the three people sitting at the table.

They all stood but no one said anything yet. This had to be one of the most awkward positions Jeff had ever found himself in.

Liam obviously sensed it because he put a hand on his shoulder, "How about I make the introductions?"

Jeff smiled gratefully. He first found himself looking at a very tall man young man in a tailored suit with a very square jaw.

"Jeff Hardy, this is my brother William Johnson," Liam introduced.

"Nice to meet you," William offered his hand, smiling weakly.

"I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances," Jeff shook his hand.

"So am I," William nodded.

Jeff assumed the young woman standing beside him was Viveca's sister Lianna, she looked about the right age. Though their features were slightly different, she and Viveca had the same green eyes and brown waves. Looking at her, Jeff could see that beauty definitely ran in the family. He could also see that from the second they entered the room, the young brunette had looked every but at Viveca.

"This is my sister Lianna," Liam said.

"Nice to meet you," Lianna shook his hand, the corner of her mouth barely lifting.

"And finally, my mother Lorraine," Liam said.

She was a little taller than Viveca with slightly graying brown hair and those green eyes again. She had a very thin frame and though they were covered with makeup, he could see that her eyes were a little red and she was sporting dark circles. He felt so bad for this woman. Her family was divided and now the man she loved was gone. He couldn't imagine how he would feel if something happened to Viveca and he hadn't been with her nearly as long.

She stood, smiling, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Hardy. I really appreciate you being here."

"Please, call me Jeff," he shook her hand. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

She gave him a nod, her eyes closing for a second.

Jeff looked over at Viveca who was once again looking down at the floor. No one had said a word to her. He could understand them being angry, he'd tried to convince her to call them but she kept insisting she didn't know what to say. Now they were probably under the impression that she didn't care.

-----------------------------------

Viveca looked down at her hands, unsure of what to do. William glanced at her a few times but hadn't spoken. Lianna was cold, as expected. That was hard but not as hard as the look on her mother's face when they entered the room. She didn't look happy to see her or relieved that she'd made it. She just looked…hurt. Viveca felt tears welling in her eyes again but not for her father this time. These were for her mother. She'd never been so ashamed of herself in her entire life. She should have called. She should have come to check on her mother. It didn't matter that they weren't on good terms, her mother raised her and took care of her and she'd the love of her life, her closest friend in the world. Viveca was so caught up in her own feelings that she didn't pick up the phone.

"The limo should be outside," William said. "We should go."

Everyone nodded and William led the way out of the kitchen. Liam and Lianna followed. Lorraine took one last sip of her glass of water and Viveca took a deep breath. She needed to say something.

"Mom I-"

"Not now," Lorraine put up a hand, looking like the slightest breeze would push her over the edge of the cliff. "Please..not now."

-----------------------------------

"So, you talk to Jeff and V yet?" John asked as he and Matt walked down the hall after they left the hotel gym. No one had really heard from Jeff and Viveca and he hoped that everything was going well. He knew Viveca wasn't exactly tight with her family.

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "They're in Jersey now. The funeral was this morning."

"How's she doing?"

"Jeff said she's still pretty shaky," Matt said, looking concerned for his friend.

"Understandable," John nodded. "She's tough though, and Jeff will get her through it."

"I know," Matt nodded. "He really lo…"

Matt trailed off and John turned to look at his friend, "You okay man?"

"I uh..I think..I think I left my water bottle in the gym," Matt stammered. "Come with me."

"Dude, there were fans waiting outside the gym remember?" John smirked. They'd signed a few autographs before they left. "If you left it, it's gone now. We'll just get you a new one."

John was about to start walking again when Matt grabbed his arm, "No I um..it's my.._lucky_ bottle. We at least have to look for it."

John stared at his friend and soon realized that Matt's eyes were darting to something over his shoulder.

He turned and it didn't take long to figure out what had Matt so nervous. Cory and Randy were standing in the middle of the lobby laughing and kissing for the whole world to see.

"Oh what the fuck?" he felt his eyes narrow.

"I'm sorry man," Matt put a hand on his shoulder.

Matt said something else but John had stopped listening. He was completely focused on Cory and Randy. How the hell did they become such a happy little couple so fast? How could she just get over him and jump to Randy like that? And how could Randy let it happen when they were supposed to be friends? He couldn't explain exactly how frustrated he was at that moment. So many thoughts were running through his head he felt like it was going to pop.

Cory turned and when she saw him, her smile faded. She had this 'caught in the act' look on her face and John immediately knew how he wanted to handle this situation..at least he knew how he wanted to handle it at that moment.

"Should we go?" Matt asked.

"No," John forced a smile. "Let's go say hi."

Matt looked wary and confused but John didn't have time to hug him and tell him everything would be okay. He started walking toward the couple and soon heard Matt's footsteps behind him.

"Hey," John smiled from ear to ear and was surprised that he sounded _almost_ genuinely friendly.

Randy nodded and Cory folded her arms over her chest offering a quick ,"Hi John."

"What are you guys up to?" John smiled.

"We're going to do a little shopping," Cory smiled up at Randy.

John's smile faded to an amused smirk, "That sounds fun. I know how you do love to shop Randy."

Randy rolled his eyes but Cory wasn't about to let John get to her that easily. She was stubborn, it was one of the things he liked about her. She put an arm around Randy and a sexy smile crossed her face, "He's really just coming along to watch me try things on."

Randy smiled and John forced himself to maintain his amused expression though he couldn't ignore the pang of jealousy he felt.

"So," Cory smiled. She was obviously able to tell she'd gotten him. "Where are you two coming from?"

"We just finished up in the gym," Matt explained.

"Oh yeah?" Cory smirked. "You getting in an extra work out before your hot date tonight?"

John wasn't sure what to say at first. How did she know about his dinner with Portia?

"Randy tell you about that?" he asked.

"No, Portia did," Cory said. "She was all _atwitter_ yesterday morning. I thought I was gonna have to scrape her down off the ceiling."

She was smiling but John couldn't miss the extra sharpness to her tone. She was pissed.

He smiled, "I tend to have that effect on the ladies."

He noticed Randy rolling his eyes again.

"Yeah, she couldn't stop gushing about you two kissing the other night," Cory said. "I think it's so sweet that you two have found your way back to each other."

John felt a little guilty. He could see that she was really bothered by his 'date' with Portia. Then he looked at Randy and every last trace of his guilt slipped away. She started this. She had to deal with it.

"You know, it's not half as sweet as you finally giving Randy here a chance," John smiled, patting Randy hard on the arm. "It seems like just yesterday you were pretending to date me just to keep him off your back."

She flinched but recovered quickly, a her bright smile practically blinding him, "I know! That was back when you were calling Portia the devil.._and_ an evil succubus…Pet names, I'm sure."

John could feel his eyes narrowing again and Cory was giving him this challenging gaze that threw his senses out of whack. He wanted to kiss her and shake her like a rag doll all at once. For a moment, he forgot there was anyone else there. They were just standing there, staring into each other's eyes and he wasn't sure where this would go if they allowed it to continue but he was willing to explore it.

"We should get going," Randy broke the tension, putting his arm around Cory's shoulders, giving John that little shit-eating grin. "Maybe the four of us can go out sometime."

Once again, John wanted to pop him but he held back, nodding instead, "Yeah..I'll run that by Portia later."

"Good," Randy smiled. The couple turned to leave and Cory smiled over her shoulder, "Bye Matt."

Oh so he didn't deserve a goodbye now? That was really mature.

Matt smiled, waving, "Bye."

"Hey," John smacked his hand down. "Whose side are you on?"

"Damn," Matt put his hands up, "_Sorry_."

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_**I know I promised secrets will be revealed in the coming chapters and I plan to keep my word, since I broke my promise to update the day after my last update, I'll let you in on this secret...In chapter 41..a big secret about Taylor will be revealed.**_


	41. Chapter 41

**Okay peeps, here's the next chapter...As promised a secret is revealed and as always, there's drama. I'll try for another chapter tomorrow but I cant promise it. I'll update very soon though, I _can_ promise that! Please continue to let me know what you think _and_ what you want to happen. I love to hear everyone's opinion/predictions/etc. Thanks to those who have reviewed and to those who hopefully will. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 41...**

Jeff lost track of how many family members he'd met in the last few hours. Liam had taken on the task of introducing him to everyone while Viveca trailed behind, smiling sheepishly at anyone who acknowledged her. Everyone treated him as warmly as could be expected in the aftermath of a funeral but Viveca was received somewhat coldly by the bulk of her family. A few cousins smiled and hugged her but most of them just offered a quick sorry for your loss and walked away. Now, the last of the relatives were leaving and Lorraine, Lianna, William, and Liam were in the driveway, saying their goodbyes. Jeff and Viveca were seated on the couch in the living room

He looked over at her, her eyes were still red, her dark lashes clumped together. He took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her soft skin, "Hey…you haven't said a word in a while."

She took a shaky breath and then looked up at him, "I need to talk to her."

"Who?"

"My mother," Viveca said. "I need to say I'm sorry but she doesn't want to hear it."

"It's an understandably rough day," Jeff said. "Just because she doesn't wanna hear it right-"

"But I need her to," she insisted. "I need her to hear it now."

Jeff took a deep breath not knowing what to say. He pulled her into a hug, running his hand over her hair.

After a few minutes, the front door opened and William and Lianna walked in followed by Liam and Lorraine who were holding hands.

"I'm gonna start packing up the food," Lianna walked toward the kitchen.

"I'll help Li," William followed his younger sister.

Lorraine sat down in a chair and Viveca's eyes went straight to her. Jeff looked up at Liam. The youngest Johnson was obviously thinking the same thing.

"Hey Jeff, why don't I show you around the house?" he suggested.

Jeff stood up, "Good idea."

-----------------------------------

Viveca looked down at her hands in her lap when Liam and Jeff left the room. She knew they were giving her a chance to talk to her mother alone and she would have to thank them for it later. Right now, she had to draw up the courage to do this. She looked up and Lorraine was rubbing her forehead, her small, thin hand shaking slightly.

"I'm sorry," Viveca blurted.

Lorraine looked up, obviously surprised and somewhat confused, "Sorry for what dear?"

"I'm sorry I didn't call," Viveca looked into her mother's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't check on any of you."

Lorraine shook her head slowly, "Viveca, now isn't the time for this."

"Mom, I didn't mean to hurt you," Viveca sniffed. "I just..I didn't think you'd want to hear from me?"

"My own child hasn't spoken to me in years," Lorraine said. "My own daughter sent me away when I tried to see her, when I tried my _best_ to make peace and get her here so she could speak to her father one last time. To be perfectly honest Viveca, after all the hurt you've caused me over the last few years, you're not calling wasn't _that_ painful."

Viveca felt as if someone had hit her in the chest. This was _not_ the reaction she was hoping for.

"I'm trying to apologize," she said, as if her mother somehow didn't understand what was happening.

"I heard you Viveca," Lorraine said. "You don't have to be sorry. I wasn't really expecting a call."

"You're acting like I'm evil," Viveca sniffed, her eyes beginning to fill with tears again. This wasn't her fault.

"You're not evil, I would never think or say that," Lorraine said. "But you haven't exactly seemed to care much about me for a while now. You're sorry that you didn't call, I understand that. If you want me to tell you it's alright then fine, It's alright Viveca. You're forgiven."

"Why are you acting like this?" Viveca asked, stricken.

"How do you want me to act?" Lorraine asked, staring at her, her lips trembling. "I'm never going to see my husband again. The father of my children. He's gone Viveca, I'm sorry I just don't have the energy to make you feel better about yourself right now."

"I didn't ask you to!" Viveca exclaimed. "I'm just asking you not to treat me like some villain."

Lorraine rubbed her forehead again, "I cannot do this with you right now. I cant."

"This is not my fault!" Viveca exclaimed, feeling a sudden heat in her chest. "You _disowned_ me!"

Lorraine stared at her as if she was a complete stranger. She shook her head in disbelief, "I never disowned you Viveca. I gave you a _choice_. You are my daughter and I love you with all of my heart but that man was _tearing_ this family apart and I couldn't take it anymore. You could have chosen us but you chose him. And I have tried, I have tried for years to get you back but you avoided me like the plague. You wouldn't let me in. I have cried _so much_ for you. I have kept myself awake so many nights because I missed you, because I was missing so much of your life. I promised your father that I would find some way, any way to bring you here so he could just _see_ you again. I wanted us to be a family again before he died. You have no idea how badly I wanted that.."

Lorraine was overtaken with sobs. She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes shut tightly. The anger Viveca was feeling drained out of her and she was filled with an extreme sense of guilt. This _was_ her fault. Her mother feeling like this was all her fault.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, rushing over and sitting on the side of the chair, wrapping her arms around her mother for the first time in a very long time. "I'm so sorry."

-----------------------------------

Taylor smiled across the table at Chris. She wasn't sure how he'd gotten her to agree to this dinner but now that she was out with him, she knew she'd made the right decision. He was even wearing a suit. Cory had obviously been in on the plan because when she got back from her shopping trip with Randy she just happened to have picked up a dress and shoes in Taylor's size. Chris made reservations at a very nice, very small restaurant, probably to make her feel safer. Still, it took both him and Cory about an hour to convince her to go.

"You're having fun," Chris smirked. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm somewhat relaxed," she admitted. "I'm sorry I've been so weird I just..I cant wait to get out of this city."

"I know," Chris said. He looked right into her eyes, "I just wanted to show you there's nothing to be afraid of."

She could feel herself blushing and looked down at her food, pushing it around with her fork. Sometimes she wasn't sure what to do when Chris looked at her like that. She wasn't used to anyone looking at her the way he did.

"So..I talked to Shane McMahon the other day," she changed the subject. "And he thinks that pretty soon I'll be able to take on some broader responsibilities with the company."

"Really?" Chris smiled. "That's great."

Taylor smiled at his excitement, "I'm not sure how Viveca will feel about that. She'd feel less powerful without an assistant."

"The idea of Viveca with too much power makes me nervous," Chris smirked. "Have you talked to her since she's been in New Jersey?"

"Just once," Taylor answered, noticing that suddenly Chris's eyes were drifting away from the table every few seconds. "I uh…Jeff called and I talked to him for a while and then Viveca asked to talk to me. I was pretty surprised."

"I bet," Chris said, distracted.

"Yeah," Taylor watched him, confused. "I told her how sorry everyone is for her loss and that we cant wait to have her back."

"Mmhmm," Chris nodded.

"Chris," she put her fork down. "Are you okay?"

Chris nodded, "I'm fine just…okay, you have to promise me you wont freak out on me."

"I would think you'd know by now, that cant really be helped," she tried for dry humor but she was beginning to feel nervous.

"There's this woman..she's been staring at us for a while now," Chris said. "I was trying to ignore it but now she's _really_ staring."

Taylor could feel her pulse quicken but she tried to stay calm and rational, "Well..you are Chris Jericho..of course you get stared at."

Chris smiled but she could tell he was uneasy.

"You're right," he said. "I'm just..I'm a little tired I think."

"Should we go back to the hotel?" Taylor asked almost hopefully.

Chris sighed, "Oh great, now she's coming over here."

"_Taylor Everett._"

Taylor froze when she heard her name for the second time in 24 hours. The woman came into view and Taylor recognized the redhead immediately.

"Is it really you?" she smiled excitedly. "You remember me, right?"

Taylor barely managed a nod. She felt like someone was sitting on her chest and covering her nose with their hand. How could this happen?

"Forgive me for interrupting," the redhead smiled at Chris. "I'm Paula Cowell..and you are…?"

"Chris," he shook her hand. "Chris Irvine."

"Nice to meet you Chris," Paula beamed. "Taylor and I grew up together, we were neighbors."

Chris looked to Taylor for confirmation and her eyes fell to her plate, once again she barely managed a nod. She had to get out. She had to get out of there _now_.

-----------------------------------

Chris looked across the table at Taylor and she looked down at her plate. One of her hands was holding her fork and the other was clutching the side of the table as if she was trying to keep herself from running away.

Paula, the redhead, smiled brightly at Taylor, "You look _gorgeous_. I haven't seen you in forever. How have you been? Is this your boyfriend?"

With each question, Taylor looked more overwhelmed. Finally, she stood up quickly, "I have to go to the bathroom."

"I'll come with you," Paula smiled.

"No," Taylor said emphatically. "I mean..No thank you…I-I'll be right back."

-----------------------------------

Taylor walked away from the table. Actually it was more stumbling than walking. She suddenly felt like a little girl trying to walk in her mother's heels. She knew this was a bad idea. She told Chris and Cory that this would happen but they argued with her. They insisted that she go out and try to have some fun. She shouldn't have listened. She should have stayed at the hotel. She made it to the bathroom, turning the cold water on in one of the sinks and splashing it on her face. When she closed her eyes she could see Paula's smiling face. She rubbed more water on her face trying to wipe away the image. Paula Cowell grew up in the house behind hers. They went to the same schools. They were always in the same class. Paula had been as close to a friend as Taylor ever had even though she always suspected the girl only spoke to her because she felt bad for her. She hadn't seen her in years and now there she was, sitting at the table with Chris, probably telling him everything. She couldn't go back out there. She couldn't look Chris in the eye after what he would undoubtedly hear from Paula. She slipped out of the bathroom and moved toward the front door. She had to leave.

-----------------------------------

John laughed as Portia told him a story about her and Trish getting lost on the road. He was walking her back to her room after their dinner. To his surprise, he'd actually had a good time. Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to let her down easy as planned. Everything was out of whack. He'd half expected Randy and Cory to stroll into the same restaurant. He figured that would be his luck. They seemed to enjoy rubbing whatever the hell they were doing in his face. They were about to pass his room when he noticed a Do Not Disturb sign on the door next to his. Randy's door.

_Oh now they're taking this shit too far_

He could see that the light was off in the room and he tried to keep his jaw from clenching. He was starting to get headaches from being tense so often. He stopped walking, turning and smiling at her, "Hey, why don't you come in for a while? We'll see what's on TV or something."

Portia smiled brightly, "Sure, why not?"

John offered his arm, fishing his key out of his pocket with his free hand and opening the door. If they were gonna screw with his head, he would do it right back.

"Wait a minute.." Portia noticed the sign on the door as well. "Isn't that _Randy's_ room?"

John nodded, "Yeah, why?"

Portia had a strange look on her face but she shrugged, "No reason."

"Alright then," John held the door open. "After you."

-----------------------------------

Randy was having a little trouble focusing on the movie with Cory sitting next to him. She was wearing a white tank top and a very short pair of white shorts, her dark hair in a ponytail. The setting was perfect. The lights were off, they were watching some allegedly suspense filled movie, and she was leaning against him, his arm on the back of the couch. She shifted slightly, causing the front of her tank top to move down, giving him a glimpse of the top of her white bra and he smiled, this had the potential to be a very good night. He'd only thought about Portia and John's dinner 2..maybe 3 times all day. There was a loud noise in the movie and Cory jumped, a high pitch squeak escaping her.

He laughed, pulling her closer, "Don't worry…I'll protect you."

"Very funny," she smirked. "Like that didn't scare you."

"Not one bit," Randy smiled proudly.

"Mmhmm," she gave him a skeptical look.

Her face was turned up to his and he took the opportunity to lean in for the kill. Just as their lips touched, a loud burst of laughter arose from the next room.

He sighed and she rolled her eyes, putting her head on his shoulder. That moment was obviously ruined. After a few minutes, he felt her relax again. She turned, draping her long legs over his and he felt a smile stretch across his face. She had some of the most fantastic legs he'd ever seen. He gently trailed his hand over her soft skin and she moved closer to him. He kept his eyes on the movie, wanting to see if she would try something this time. He got his answer when he felt her turn him to face her. She was leaning up to kiss him. Their lips connected this time but only for a second before the laughter returned, accompanied by incredibly loud music.

"Oh what the fuck?" Cory pulled away, looking angrily toward the door.

"Do you wanna just turn the movie up?" Randy asked, frustrated.

"No," Cory's eyes narrowed as the laughter continued. "I'd recognize that cackling anywhere…I'm gonna go tell them to shut up."

Randy was about to argue but the music got louder and the laughter came again. This time he recognized it.. Portia. The room next to his wasn't hers, it was John's.

Randy stood up, "I'm in, let's go."

-----------------------------------

Cory led the way out of the room and she and Randy both knocked on John's door.. They got no response at first and Randy knocked again, harder this time. Cory crossed her arms over her chest, growing more annoyed by the second. He was doing this on purpose. He was trying to ruin her night.

The door swung open and John looked aggravated, "Didn't you read the sign?"

Cory looked down at the doorknob and her eyes narrowed when she saw the 'Do Not Disturb' sign.

"You know John, I tried but all my senses were thrown off by the combination of Jay-Z and Portia's hyena call," Cory quipped.

"Excuse me?" Portia came to the door, obviously rarin' to go.

"We were trying to watch a movie when your little free concert started," Randy spoke up. "You wanna keep it down?"

"Well, we were just trying to make sure _our_ night wasn't disturbed by the sounds of any lovemaking," John smirked. "We thought that would be best for everyone."

Cory was about to say something but Randy responded first.

"Trust me John, if there was any 'lovemaking' going on tonight, that music wouldn't be loud enough to cover up the noise," Randy smirked.

Cory smiled. She knew there was a reason she brought him with her. She also noticed that Portia flinched a little but that just amused her more.

"Wow, you enjoy your new boyfriend objectifying you Princess?" John asked.

Cory's eyes went wide and she stared at him, "Seriously? You seriously wanna go there John?"

"At least I didn't tell thousands of people that I had sex with her," Randy said.

"You had sex with her?" John and Portia both asked at the same time.

"That is _none_ of your business," she told them. She didn't see why the hell Portia was so concerned. She was in John's room in the middle of the night, that was obviously what she wanted. "Just keep the god damn music down."

"Last I checked you weren't my mom," John stepped closer to her.

"Watch how you talk to her," Randy stepped forward, glaring at John.

"Wow Cory, did you forget how to defend yourself?" Portia smirked.

"Not at all, wanna see?" Cory held her arms out.

"Calm down," John pointed at her.

Cory struggled not to slap John's hand out of her face. He was telling her to calm down? He was being a complete ass but she was wrong for being aggravated?

"Don't worry," Portia pushed her sleeves up, stepping up. "I can handle this."

"_You_ need to calm down," Randy advised.

"What's the matter Randy?" Portia asked. "Scared your girlfriend will get hurt?"

That may as well have been a cue for Cory to swing but Randy moved in front of her, "I know my girlfriend can handle herself."

Cory looked up at him, "Girlfriend?"

John and Portia said the same thing.

Randy shrugged.

Cory shook it off, they would discuss that later. She faced John again, sick of this stupid argument or whatever it was, "Look..this is ridiculous..Just..keep the music down."

John was about to argue but Cory shot him a steely look and he rolled his eyes saying, "Fine..whatever."

She briefly considered adding a snippy 'Thank You' but she didn't have a chance. John closed the door in their faces. She was about to knock again to call him an asshole but Randy grabbed her raised hand, leading her back to his door. She looked up at him and tried to relax a little.

"So…" she sighed. "Girlfriend?"

Randy shrugged, "It slipped. Did you mind?"

She wasn't exactly sure how she felt about it. She hadn't been expecting Randy to call her that. She wasn't sure if a relationship was what she wanted out of this. But she looked up at his hopeful expression and all she could say was, "No, I don't mind at all."

-----------------------------------

"So…." Chris twiddled his thumbs under the table. He was sitting with Paula, who seemed to have completely abandoned her date. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of Taylor since her trip to the 'bathroom'. Text messages had gone unanswered and he was now 99 percent sure that she wasn't coming back. He couldn't say he was shocked. She turned as pale as a ghost when she saw Paula. She obviously couldn't get away from the table fast enough.

"I'm really sorry," Paula smiled apologetically. "I didn't mean to run Taylor off. I thought maybe she'd be happy to see me."

Chris felt a little bad for her. She'd seemed genuinely happy to see Taylor and just as sincerely upset that she'd raced off. She looked down at Taylor's discarded cloth napkin, toying with the corner of it.

"This wasn't your first date, was it?" she winced as if the thought had just occurred to her.

"No," Chris smiled. "Not really."

He looked around again, although he knew she wasn't coming back. He felt bad for Paula and didn't wanna just leave but..he needed to know where she was and if she was okay. He was about to excuse himself when Paula slowly shook her head, resting her chin in her hand, "Taylor always was an odd one, poor thing."

Chris knew what he was about to do was probably wrong in some way but he couldn't help himself. It was driving him crazy, he had to know what Taylor was keeping from him..and Paula seemed to be in the mood to talk.

"So…you and Taylor were good friends?" Chris asked.

"In a way," Paula shrugged. "I mean..we didn't exactly have sleepovers but..I talked to her as much as I could. Honestly though, after what happened, I never really saw her. She looks different. I don't wanna sound mean but..I never though she'd grow up to be so pretty. When we were kids, she always looked like she hadn't eaten in ages and she'd just been through the fight of her life..Those eyes though..I recognized them right when she looked over."

Paula kind of lost Chris at 'After what happened..'.

"You must be a good guy," Paula smiled. "I know I've got some issues but Taylor..you couldn't make up the shit that girl's been through."

Chris sighed, leaning closer, "Exactly what has she been through?"

Paula looked confused and somewhat apprehensive. Suddenly she didn't seem quite so sharing.

Great, now he probably seemed like some nosy guy trying to prey on the poor damaged girl.

"Listen, Taylor and I have gotten really close but..there are certain parts of her life that she just wont share with me," Chris admitted. "I know something bad must have happened. She wakes up in terror in the middle of the night. She cries at the drop of a hat. Sometimes she seems like she's in another world. I wanna help her but..she wont let me. I just..Maybe if I knew what happened…"

Paula nodded, "I can tell she's really important to you."

"She is," Chris nodded. "So can you please just tell me what happened?"

Paula sighed, "Taylor..She witnessed a murder when she was 12."

Chris stared, surprised. He waited for Paula to continue, wanting to know exactly what happened.

"Her mother Nancy, she killed her father right in front of her. Stabbed him to death."

Chris put a hand over his mouth. He was completely at a loss for words. He figured it had something to do with her parents but this wasn't what he expected.

"And right after it happened..there were these rumors…people said that Nancy was lying and that she didn't really do it. The rumor was that Taylor was really the one who did it."

-----------------------------------

Mark fished in his pocket for the key to his room, the blonde he brought back from the bar hanging all over him like a second set of clothes. He finally found the key and shoulder the door open, bringing her inside with him. She pushed him up against the door kissing all over his neck, her hands roaming over his chest and stomach. He enjoyed the feeling for a while before pushing her away and stripping her of her clothes. She grabbed the bottom of his shirt, roughly pulling it up.

"You are gonna love this," she smiled as he allowed her to take the shirt off and toss it aside.

They made their way to the bed and she pushed him onto his back then undid her bra, smiling at him, her eyes locked with his. "I am gonna leave you _beggin'_ baby."

Mark didn't exactly enjoy her commentary but he tried to just ignore it. He needed this. He needed some release. She was perfect for exactly that. She was good looking, at least he thought so, his vision was pretty blurred. She was more than willing, and if she lived up to her words, he was in for a hell of a night.

She tossed her bra away and then leaned forward, unzipping his pants, her mouth hovering over him, "I'm gonna be the new love of your life," she smirked, running her fingertip over the zipper.

Mark grabbed her hair, pulling her up, "Stop talking."

She smiled and locked her lips onto his and Mark tried his best to focus completely on physical feeling; her body against his, her hands running across his skin, her nails scratching him lightly. He closed his eyes and felt her grinding against him. She moved down, running her tongue over his neck and his collarbone, then down onto his chest. He could feel himself getting hard and he opened his eyes slowly to look down at her. He was startled when he saw her. Her blonde hair was now brown. She looked up at him and her blue eyes were now green. Brown hair. Green eyes.

Dawn's hair…Dawn's eyes…

He roughly pushed her off of him and scrambled out of bed, standing up. He rubbed his hands vigorously over his face. What the hell was his problem? What was he doing?

He opened his eyes and she was back to..whatever her name was. Her over bleached blonde hair, blue eyes, long red nails. She wasn't Dawn. She was…He had no idea who she was.

"Come on baby," she smiled. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "I cant do this."

"You cant get it up?" she smirked, getting up on her knees in the bed, reaching for him, "Come here, I can handle that."

"No. I cant do this," he pushed her hands away. "I'm sorry. You need to leave."

"But-"

"Get out!" Mark lost his temper. She needed to leave. He couldn't do this. He didn't need her groping at him and trying to help him 'get it up'.

"What the fuck is your problem?" she stared at him.

"Get out," he looked at her again. He felt almost..ashamed under her angry gaze. This wasn't her fault. Still, he needed her to go.

She got off the bed, glaring at him as she gathered up her clothes. She put on her jeans and shirt, holding her underwear in her hands as she stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Mark began to pace back and forth, running his hands through his hair. He couldn't do it. He couldn't just push her out of his mind. He loved Dawn. He needed her.

And she didn't want him.

Without thinking, he launched his hand forward, his fist connecting with the wall. Cracks appeared in the paint where his hand had landed. He looked down at it his now red hand, seeing a cut on one of his knuckles begin to bleed. It hurt. It hurt bad. But that pain was nothing. He would barely feel it the next day.

Losing Dawn…He seemed to feel that over and over again.

-----------------------------------


	42. Chapter 42

**Okay peeps, I'm exhausted so I'm not gonna ramble on like I usually do..Here's the next chapter, of course I hope you enjoy it and in the place of my usual banter I'm going to let you in on some things: in the next chapter - Savannah returns! and...someone makes a surprising announcement..oooh..cryptic. Nighty night! As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 42...**

"Jessie, wait up!"

Jessica stopped, turning to see who was calling her. She'd just gotten the keys to her rental and she was ready to get to the hotel and take a nap. She smirked when she saw John rushing toward her. On the plane, Cory had talked Jessica's ear off complaining about John and Portia ruining her 'date' with Randy. If she knew John, he was coming to complain as well.

"What can I do for you Cena?"

"I need to talk to you for a minute," John said. "I uh..I have a question."

Okay maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought.

"You know I consider you a great friend," John said.

Jessica nodded.

"And you know I would never ask you to be in the middle of any dispute between me and your sister."

"Right," Jessica gestured for him to get to the point.

"It's just..she said something last night and I was wonderi-"

"No she hasn't had sex with Randy," Jessica shook her head.

John stopped, "How'd you know-"

"I know you," Jessica smiled. She wasn't surprised. Cory told her that she and Randy might have alluded to the two of them having sex to get to the other couple.

He breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at Jessica, confused, "What am I doing J?"

She shook her head, "If you don't know, how should I?"

"I just..It's so frustrating. I never know what the hell to do around her," John said. "I think she's trying to drive me crazy."

"She's not," Jessica smiled. "You frustrate her just as much as she frustrates you. I've never seen either of you like this."

"Don't say it like that," John made a face. "I hate when people talk about us like that. Like we've met our match or something."

Jessica smirked. John seemed very bothered by the prospect of Cory being his match. Cory felt the same way. For two people who practically went out of their way to clash at every moment possible, they certainly thought alike.

"Maybe you have," Jessica said. "Whether you like it or not."

"Like you found yours with James," he gave her a look.

"I never said James was the one for me," Jessica made a face at him. "Besides, I'm ending that soon."

"Thank God," John smiled.

"And this is not about me and James, it's about you and Cory," Jessica said.

"There is no me and Cory," John said. She could tell from his tone that he wasn't exactly thrilled with that fact.

She knew as Cory's sister, the last thing she should do was give John any insight on how to get to her sibling but he was a good friend and..it would be worth it in the end.

She sighed, "Let me give you some advice John."

John waited for her to continue.

"The best way to get to her is to be nice, act like everything is fine," she advised. 'Cory and her mother can be polar opposites but if there's one thing they have in common it's this..they cant stand for anything they do to be ignored. If she's doing something, intentionally or not, that she knows will piss you off and you seem like it doesn't..it's gonna drive her nuts."

"You think so?" John smiled, looking hopeful.

"I know so," Jessica said. "If you do that, it shouldn't take long for her to break. This thing with Randy wont last."

John smiled, nodding, "Thanks J."

"You're welcome," she patted him on the shoulder. "And if you tell her I told you that, I'll hurt you."

John laughed, "I wont."

**-----------------------------------**

Cory looked up at Mark as they walked out to his rental car. He was silent throughout the flight and had barely spoken while they got their bags and he got the keys to his rental. She hated seeing him like this. This wasn't the Mark she knew and loved like a brother. This Mark was quiet and desolate. He still towered over her but without his personality and presence he seemed…smaller somehow. And she was partially to blame. She wanted so badly to just tell him what was going on and send him to Dawn's doorstep to set her straight but she was just as close to Dawn as she was to Mark. She made a promise to her friend and she couldn't break it. Hopefully it wouldn't take Dawn too long to realize she was being unreasonable. Until then, Cory had to do her best to help Mark _without_ disclosing Dawn's secret.

"Thanks for giving me a ride," she looked up at her friend, zipping the front of her coat.

"Didn't have much choice," the corner of his mouth just barely lifted as they reached the car. "Considering you're not allowed to rent a car in the entire state of Wisconsin."

"One minor incident and people get all touchy," Cory shrugged.

Mark shook his head, popping the trunk and loading the bags.

"Can I drive?" she smiled, holding her hand out for the keys.

He took her hand and gently lead her to the passenger side door, "Get in the car kid."

"Fine, fine," she grumbled, getting in.

When he got in and started the car, Cory noticed that the hint of a smile she saw earlier was gone already. He stared off into space for a few seconds and she put a hand on his arm, trying to draw him out of his thoughts.

He looked over at her and sighed, leaning back in his seat, "I brought a woman up to my room last night."

Cory was too shocked to say anything. She definitely hadn't expected that to happen. The entire time she'd known Mark and Dawn, the thought of either of them with someone else had been a completely foreign concept.

She looked over at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I couldn't do it," he ran a hand over his hair. "I wanted to. I wanted the distraction…but I just kept thinking about Dawn."

Cory couldn't help but be relieved. She really didn't want the added responsibility of telling Dawn that Mark had slept with someone else. She looked at Mark again and the felt as if someone was putting a set of weights on her chest. She couldn't make out a single emotion from his expression. He looked angry, confused, frustrated, sad…

"I don't know why I bother," Mark shook his head. "It's not like she gave a damn about my feelings when she left the way she did."

"Don't think that way," Cory said. "She just-"

"She what Cory?" Mark looked over at her. "She left me because she loves me? Because it's what's best for me?"

Cory opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"Even you aren't naïve enough to think that."

Cory closed her mouth, stricken by his words.

Without another word, Mark put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking space.

-----------------------------------

Chris paced back and forth shaking his head. He was still having trouble wrapping his head around what Paula told him the night before. He'd just explained it all to Hunter and it still didn't make sense.

"Can you really blame her for not telling you?" Hunter asked. "It's not exactly something you go shouting off the rooftops."

"It's something you should tell your..whatever the hell I am to her," Chris ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't explain how much it frustrated him that Taylor would keep this from him. A tiny secret here or there was fine but being accused of murder was far from tiny.

"Would you wanna tell someone about that?" Hunter asked.

"Would I _want_ to? Probably not," Chris said. "But I would think that after everything I've done, that's something I deserve to know."

"Chris, you're my friend so I feel comfortable that you'll know I mean this in a good way," Hunter sighed, resting his elbows on his knees. "I think you're giving yourself a little too much credit."

"What?" Chris stared at his friend.

"I'm sure Taylor has damn good reason not to tell you about her parents or her childhood," Hunter said. "It's pretty obvious that she's been through a lot of shit and no matter how close you are, she hasn't known you for _that_ long. Someone who comes from a background like that more than likely has some _serious_ trust issues. Maybe she didn't tell you because she didn't know how you'd react."

"Or maybe she didn't tell me because she thought the favors would stop coming once I found out she was a liar," Chris fumed, pacing again. He felt like a complete idiot. He'd actually thought he was falling for this person and now it seemed like he barely knew her at all.

"Okay now you're being harsh," Hunter said in a stern tone.

"Am I?" Chris asked. "I'm not overreacting Hunter. She lied to me."

"Did she?" Hunter asked. "Chris, just because she didn't tell you doesn't mean she _lied_."

Chris shook his head. Obviously Hunter couldn't understand where he was coming from. As far as he knew, Taylor was this sweet misguided kid who couldn't catch a break. Chris thought that was what she was too but now…he wasn't sure.

"So what are you gonna do?" Hunter asked.

"I'm gonna confront her," Chris said. "I wanna see what she has to say for herself."

Hunter stood up and patted him on the shoulder, "If that's what you wanna do..do it. But I think it's a bad idea. You could really mess up a good thing."

Chris shook his head, "I'm not the one who messed it up."

-----------------------------------

John stepped off of the elevator, checking his pockets to make sure he had his keys. He'd gotten a sudden craving for Taco Bell that needed to be taken care of immediately. He found the keys in his back pocket and pulled them out so fast he ended up losing control of them and tossing them off to the side.

He heard a loud squeak and winced.

_Good job Cena, good job_

He turned around, praying he didn't have a law suit on his hands. He winced again when he saw Cory standing a few feet away from him with a hand covering her eye and cheek.

"What the hell?" she stared at him with her uncovered eye.

"Shit, Cory I'm sorry," he rushed over to her. He reached forward to touch her face and she narrowed her eye.

"I cannot believe you just threw your keys at me."

"I didn't throw them at you," John laughed a little, gently pulling her hand away from her face. "Are you okay?"

She had a bright red mark on her cheek but, fortunately, she wasn't bleeding.

"I think so," she blinked her eye a few times.

He brushed his thumb lightly over the red mark and she squeaked, slapping his hand away, "That hurt damn it."

"Sorry," he put his hands up. "You sure you're okay?"

"I guess," she glared at him again.

John shook his head. He'd nearly taken her eye out trying to get to Taco Bell. He couldn't control his laughter and she slapped him on the shoulder, "You think this is funny?"

"Trust me, it is," John nodded.

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, turning to walk away.

"Cory, Cory, wait," he tried to stop laughing, grabbing her arm and turning her around, "I'm sorry, really."

She didn't look terribly convinced.

"Listen, I'm on my way to Taco Bell, you wanna go?" he asked.

"No thanks, I'd rather not be up sick all night," she smirked. "You have fun with that though."

"You sure?" he smiled. "I'll buy you a chalupa."

"I don't know what's on those..but I'm fairly certain I don't want it," she laughed. "Sorry."

John couldn't help feeling a little disappointment but he shrugged, "Don't be sorry. _I'm_ sorry for hitting you."

She shrugged, "I _guess_ it was an accident."

They stood awkwardly for a while before she looked at her phone and sighed, "I better get going."

Before he could stop it, a snide reply escaped him, "Going to meet your boyfriend?"

Her expression turned to annoyance and she rolled her eyes, once again turning to leave.

He started to let her go but he knew that was just his ego acting up again. Obviously being sarcastic and short with each other was getting them nowhere. He thought back to what Jessica said. The best way to get to her was to be nice.

"Cory wait," he caught up to her.

She turned around, still looking annoyed, "What?"

"Listen..I just wanted to apologize for last night," he said, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

He could tell from the look on her face that she was seeing right through it.

He took a deep breath, trying harder,"I mean it. Look, I get it. I messed up and you and me ain't gonna happen..Randy's a friend and, hopefully, you are too. I'm sorry I ruined your night. Wont happen again."

-----------------------------------

Cory wasn't sure what to say to John. He actually sounded sincere and she didn't know how to feel about it.

"Umm..it's okay I guess," she shrugged, incredibly confused by his sudden acceptance of her..whatever she had with Randy. "I-I guess we were all acting a little weird. I probably shouldn't have compared Portia's laugh to a hyena call."

John nodded, "That was a little harsh."

She felt a little sheepish, tucking her hair behind her ears. John was actually being..mature.

"Hey, I got an idea..How about you and Randy come out with me and Portia tonight. We'll double."

She stared, stunned. She was tempted to ask if he was on drugs but she held the question back. Was he actually asking her to go out with him and his ex/new girlfriend or whatever the hell Portia was? Now she really didn't know how to feel. She wanted to call him an asshole for it but..he was being nice.

"Come on, I'll pay," he offered.

She forced a smile and nodded, "Sure..okay."

"Cool," he smiled. "I'll call you later to set it up."

She nodded again.

"Bye," he smiled.

She waved as he walked away then furrowed her brow.

_What the hell is going on?_

-----------------------------------------

"I did not!" Viveca argued.

"Yes you did…you loosened the wheels on that poor girl's skates so she would fall during her talent routine," Lorraine laughed. "I told you not to."

The Johnson family, along with Jeff, was seated in the living room and William and Liam were enjoying telling embarrassing stories about their sister. Jeff noticed that Lianna didn't seem particularly amused. She was sitting on the arm of Lorraine's chair, looking down at her hands. He looked over at Viveca who was smiling from ear to ear, sitting beside William on the couch. After giving Viveca and her mother about 20 minutes alone together, Liam and Jeff had come downstairs to find them hugging and smiling. William and Lianna came in at around the same time and looked equally surprised. When Lorraine explained that they'd come to an understanding, William and Liam both looked delighted, each hugging their sister. Lianna opted out of the affectionate display. Jeff wondered if Viveca would be able to patch things up with her.

"She did," William nodded, pulling Jeff out of his thoughts. "I saw her do it."

"I believe it," Jeff smiled at Viveca. "She can be a little vicious."

"That girl was a bitch," Viveca said.

"She was 10," William laughed. "And you'd never met her before that day."

"Whatever, I had my reasons," Viveca smiled. "And I won so that's what counts."

"That always was your mentality, wasn't it?" Lianna broke a smile for the first time since they all sat down.

"Li," William gave her a look.

"What?" Lianna shrugged.

William just continued giving her that scolding look and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's enough childhood stories," Viveca smiled. "We need to stop now before you start showing Jeff the pictures."

"I don't remember objecting to seeing the pictures," Jeff put his hand up.

Viveca shot an exaggerated glare in his direction and he smiled, blowing her a kiss.

"I suppose we could show you a picture or two," Lorraine smiled. She tapped Lianna, "Can you get one of the photo albums for me?"

Anger flashed across Lianna's face and she got up, grabbed a leather bound book and dropped it on the floor in the center of the room before storming out. Everyone stared and Lorraine started to get up but Viveca stopped her, "Let me. We need to talk."

Jeff watched her walk away, hoping for both of them that their talk went well.

-----------------------------------

Lianna sat on her bed, picking the lint off of her old teddy bear Joe. The bear had been a gift from her father when she was 2. He was falling apart but she'd never had the heart to put him into retirement. Now that her father was gone, she knew she'd never be able to. She closed her eyes, trying her best to calm herself down. She knew her mother and William would be upset with her for storming out the way she did. Liam had a temper like she did so he usually understood when to just let her have a minute to herself. She couldn't help but be angry. Viveca abandoned them for years and now because she cried on their mother's shoulder everyone was supposed to just embrace her with open arms. She couldn't do it. She couldn't just let her back in that way, not after the way she left.

She heard the door creak open but he didn't look up, figuring William was coming to tell her to come back downstairs.

-----------------------------------

Viveca paused at Lianna's door, taking a deep breath. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. Lianna held a lot of contempt for her and Viveca couldn't really blame her. Still, she never dealt with open hostility very well. She was going to have to do her best to keep her temper in check to keep this from turning into a screaming match.

She opened the door and walked in, closing it quietly behind her.

Lianna was sitting on her bed with her back to the door.

"Hey," Viveca said quietly.

Lianna tensed when she heard her voice. She turned slightly, "I don't remember asking for company."

Viveca crossed her arms over her chest, "You know..I don't get you. You give me shit at the hospital because I haven't been around..And then when I am..you act like you wish I would leave."

Viveca could see her sister's jaw clenching. Her lips were pursed and she was tapping her right foot on the floor. It was almost like looking in a mirror, Viveca knew she did the same thing when she was upset.

"Come on Li..if I know anything about you it's that you're never at a loss for words," Viveca said. "Just say whatever it is you have to say."

"I don't feel like fighting with you right now," Lianna glared. "Just leave me alone."

"No," Viveca shook her head. "You don't get to insult me and storm away without explaining yourself."

"Explain myself?" Lianna stared, putting her bear down on the bed. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Then can you try to have a discussion with me?" Viveca asked.

"And what should we discuss Viveca?" Lianna asked. "What do we have to talk about?"

"Gee I don't know, maybe the fact that you're the only person in this house that wants to treat me like a leper," she suggested.

"Well forgive me for feeling like this new '_family friendly_' Viveca came a little late," Lianna said.

"Oh come on Lianna, you aren't even _trying_ to get past this," Viveca said, frustrated. "You've got this grudge against me because I got out of here and you didn't and you're never gonna let it go."

"You think that's what it is?" Lianna said, her voice getting loud. "You think I just didn't have the guts to leave or something, is that it?"

Viveca shrugged.

"I did leave!" Lianna exclaimed. "I left. I did what I wanted. I had fun, I went crazy. But _I_ kept in touch with everyone. I called and I checked on my family because I cared. And when Dad got sick..I came back. I had no choice. I've spent the last two years here helping Mom and Will take care of dad and making sure Liam stayed out of trouble. I'm not here because I love being 21 and living at home Viveca! I _couldn't _leave!"

"So you hate me because you couldn't leave?" Viveca asked.

"No!" Lianna exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't hate you because I had to be here. I don't _hate_ you. I'm _mad_ at you. I have been for a long time. I'm _mad_ at you because I needed your _help_!"

Viveca felt the anger bubbling inside her start to simmer down.

"I wasn't prepared to take all of this on," Lianna's voice broke and she shook her head. "I wasn't prepared for Dad to get sick. But I had to be the one who was always okay, the one who didn't break down, who always kept a positive attitude and hoped for the best. And I needed…I…"

"You needed what?" Viveca asked, tentatively sitting on the edge of the bed. She wanted to reach out to her sister but she wasn't sure if she should.

"When you were still here…whenever something was bothering me or I was stressed out..I went to you. I had a big sister to talk to and when you left..it sucked. I cant talk to Will when I'm upset because he thinks I'm this loud, happy person that never lets anything get her down and I can tell that he feels less pressure to be around all the time because he knows I can handle everything. And I have to be the one Liam can always come to, I cant put all of my problems on him."

Tears were beginning to stream down Lianna's face and as each one fell Viveca felt more guilty. Her little sister felt like she couldn't open up to anyone. She'd made herself completely and totally unavailable to her family and it hurt everyone even more than she knew.

"Lianna..I didn't know," Viveca shook her head, putting her hand over her sister's on the comforter. "I am still your sister. I always will be."

Lianna's lips formed a bitter smile and she shook her head, looking away.

"I know I haven't acted like it for a while now," Viveca felt tears in her own eyes. "But if you let me, from now on I will be there for you _whenever_ you need me."

Lianna took a deep breath looking down at their hands.

"We all need each other," Viveca said. "It just took me longer than most to realize how important family should be."

Viveca didn't wait for a response. She reached forward, hugging her sister tightly. Lianna was tense at first but after a few seconds she relaxed, resting her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Li," Viveca said as she let her go. She brushed the younger woman's dark waves out of her face, "Can we try to be sisters again?"

Lianna nodded slowly.

"Good," Viveca nodded, standing up. "Now can we go eat? I'm hungry."

"That's not a surprise," Lianna stood up. "You look like you don't eat."

Viveca laughed looking her sister over, "You're smaller than I am."

Lianna laughed, "Okay, you got me there."

-----------------------------------

Mark walked down the hall toward Cory's room, hanging his head. He'd felt guilty about snapping at her all day. Cory was the closest thing to a daughter he ever had and probably ever would have and he couldn't handle knowing that he'd hurt her feelings. He just hoped she would be able to forgive a grumpy old man.

He leaned against the wall, tapping his knuckles on the door.

"I'll be right there," she called and he could hear her moving around the room. Then the door swung open.

"Hey Kid," he held up a hand.

"Hey," she said, moving aside and allowing him to come in.

"I guess we need to talk," he sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. Apologies were never his forte.

"No we don't," she shook her head. "It's okay Mark. You have a ton on your mind. I'm fine."

"No, it's not okay," he insisted. "I said something hurtful to you and I'm sorry. I'm just so stressed out and I...I cant go around bitin your head off. If I lose you who am I gonna have? Glenn?"

She laughed a little, "Hey, Glenn's a good guy."

"Yeah but he's not very good at giving me a female's perspective," Mark smirked. He was relieved that he hadn't hurt her feelings. He sat down on her couch and looked up at her. He'd been so focused on his apology that he didn't notice she was wearing a dress and heels. "Where are you goin' all dressed up?"

She sighed, "Believe it or not..Randy and I are going out with John and Portia."

Mark frowned, "What?"

"I know, it's weird," she shrugged. "It was John's idea."

"And you said yes?"

"What was I supposed to say?" she asked. "John wants us all to be friends."

Mark shook his head. This guy was really messing with her head, he could see it in her eyes. She had her best calm, cool, and collected expression on her face but her eyes told him that she was confused out of her mind. Probably because anyone with half a brain could see that she and John weren't fit to be 'just friends'.

"And what do you want?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I guess he's right. We're all adults, right?"

"I guess," Mark smirked.

She stopped what she was doing and gave him a look.

"You really wanna go to this?" he asked. "Because you don't look like you do."

"I do," she nodded. "It could be fun."

"No kid, it wont," he shook his head. "It's no fun seeing the person you want with someone else."

"I don't want John," she insisted. "If I did, I wouldn't be dating Randy."

"You sure about that?" he asked.

She nodded, "Positive."

"Okay," he sighed, seeing that she wasn't about to relent. She'd decided she was okay and she wasn't about to handle herself in any other way. He stood up and pulled her into a hug, "You call me if you need anything."

"I will," she hugged him back. "You call me if _you _need anything."

"Of course," he mussed her hair. "Be good."

-----------------------------------

Taylor rested her back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. She picked up the bottle of whiskey beside her and downed as much of it as she could before her throat started to hurt. All she'd done all day was sit around her room and drink. Thanks to some unconcerned foster parents and a fake ID as a teenager, Taylor developed quite a tolerance for alcohol at a young age. She'd avoided liquor for a long time when she decided to try and get away from everything but now it didn't matter. She couldn't get away from this, she needed to just accept it. Just when she thought things were getting better, she had to go back to that god damn city. Now she was sure everything was ruined. Chris would think she was a murderer and who could blame him if he told everyone. She would lose her job, the friends she'd made, everything. Freddie always said her life wasn't worth anything, maybe she was right. He once told her that she'd never be anything more than his worthless kid. Maybe he was right.

She downed the last of the whiskey and then tossed the bottle down, jumping when it broke and glass spread across the floor. She'd managed to avoid seeing anyone she knew all day. She switched her flight out of Detroit to an earlier one than everyone else and checked right into the hotel after a quick detour to a nearby liquor store. She'd turned off her Blackberry figuring no one would need her. Chris certainly wouldn't be calling, not after what he found out. Tears stung the backs of her eyes as she thought about him. When he was drunk he'd told her he was falling in love with her..what did he think now? He probably wanted nothing to do with her. Who could blame him?

She reached out, picking up one of the shards of glass and turning it in her hand. She winced when she felt it scratch her palm but she didn't drop it. Her eyes filled with tears and she closed them, taking a deep, shaky breath. It killed her that one day, one day of all of her years on this Earth would define her, haunt her, for the rest of her life. A day she couldn't even remember. The doctors she saw before the trial said that witnessing the murder had been so traumatic that she'd blocked it from her memory. Quite a few people accused her of faking. Some people thought she was lying to protect her mother. Others thought she was lying and letting her mother take the fall. Those people didn't understand that she could never do that. She loved her mother more than she could ever say and if she could get her out of jail, she would. All she could remember was waking up in a hospital and being told her father was dead. The doctors explained to her that the police had found her passed out, locked in a closet. It certainly wouldn't have been the last time her father locked her in there, in fact it seemed like one of his favorite past times. When they told her that her mother had been arrested, she lost it. She had to be strapped to the bed to keep her from trying to leave. All she'd wanted was to see her mother. Finally, she was allowed to see her and her mother told her what happened. While her mother was gone, her father locked her in the closet again. When Nancy returned home and tried to get Taylor out, her father stopped her and they fought. The fight escalated and Nancy grabbed a knife. Frank goaded her as he was often known to do and her mother snapped. Her mother's lawyer convinced her to plead not guilty because of the duress and extreme emotional distress caused to her by years of abuse but the jury had a hard time looking past the photos of the crime scene. The prosecutor did his best to convince the jury that Nancy did not, in fact, happen upon Frank abusing their daughter. The prosecutor claimed that Frank was away and Nancy lured him back to the house with the intent to kill him. Despite evidence of Frank's abusive behavior toward his wife and child, Nancy was convicted of 2nd degree murder and sentenced to jail. The last time Taylor saw her mother was in the court room at her sentencing. She'd tried to visit her in prison but her mother had instructed the guards not to permit her in. She'd only heard from Nancy once. Her mother wrote her a letter telling her that she loved her dearly and she wouldn't allow her to see her in jail because she knew how much it would hurt Taylor to see her that way. She told Taylor to focus on trying to make her life better and that knowing she was living her life to the fullest would be the only thing keeping Nancy alive. Taylor had tried her best to remember what happened that night. For years she tried and tried but she couldn't. Every once in a while she would get a quick flash of a few seconds but it was rare. And anything she did remember went along with her mother's account of that day. The clearest memory she had was having her ear pressed against a door, presumably the closet door.

"_What is _wrong_ with you?" Nancy screamed. "How could you treat your own child this way? How could you treat your wife like this?"_

"_You just answered your own question Nancy," Frank said. "Because you're mine. And as long as I pay the bills around here and I have to deal with your bitching and that little _bitch_ whining every god damn minute, I will do whatever I want."_

_When he finished his sentence, Taylor felt, and heard, something hit the door. She scrambled backward, wrapping her arms around her knees. Then, she heard a loud smack. She recognized that sound well. She was no stranger to the sound of a palm hitting a face. She wanted to do something. She wanted to help her mother. She reached for the doorknob but before she could touch it, she heard another loud smack, this time followed by her mother crying out. She pressed her face to the ground, peering out through the crack under the door. There was another noise and she saw her mother fall to the floor. Nancy's cheek hit the floor hard and Taylor's eyes met her mother's. She reached out, sliding her hand toward her mother, wanting to touch her, to help her, then pain shot through her when a foot stepped onto her hand._

Taylor blinked away the memory, focusing on that same hand. She had forgotten she was holding the shard of glass and clenched her first. Now her hand was bleeding significantly. She gasped, dropping the glass and sliding away from it. She couldn't keep doing this. She had to do something. She had to find some way to keep this from running her life. The more she wallowed and drove herself crazy the more her father won. Maybe Chris could help her. Maybe he didn't hate her. He was the first person who'd cared about her in a very long time, maybe he wouldn't turn on her. He said he wanted to help her before, maybe he still did. She couldn't do this alone anymore. As much as it pained her to admit it, she needed someone. Maybe Chris could be that someone.

Her thoughts were interrupted by loud knocking on the door. She stared for a moment unsure of what to do. The knocking continued and then she heard Chris's voice, "Taylor! Open the door!"

She got up quickly, turning on the water and rinsing the blood from her hand. Once she was sure she didn't look like she'd been handling raw meat, she dried her hand with a towel and wrapped it around her fist. She looked at herself in the mirror and knew that she looked like hell but Chris was still impatiently knocking so she didn't have time to fix it. Instead, she rushed to the door, opening it quickly.

"Chris," she smiled weakly at him. "About last night I-"

-----------------------------------

"Well if it isn't the infamous Taylor Everett," Chris said, barging into Taylor's room.

She stared at him with wide blue eyes. She was obviously nervous, her hands were clenched in front of her and she was holding a towel. She looked tired and he could smell alcohol. He couldn't feel bad for her at that moment. He was still too angry.

"Or should I call you Lizzie Borden?" he suggested.

Her brow furrowed but she didn't speak.

"Oh wait, that's right, she killed both her parents," Chris said. "Rumor has it you only offed _one_."

"Chris..I-"

"You _what_?" he fumed. "You lied to me? Yeah, I know."

"I didn't-"

"Paula told me, Taylor," he said, so angry his voice sounded shaky. "A complete _fucking_ stranger thought I should know. Why didn't you?"

"Because I-"

"Because _what_?" he asked.

She jumped when he yelled at her, her eyes filling with tears. Her bottom lip quivered and she opened her mouth a few times to speak but nothing came out.

"I'm waiting Taylor," he said. "I'm waiting for you to tell me why I didn't deserve to know this after everything I've done for you."

Her hands were shaking now and she dropped the towel she was holding, "Chris I..I didn't know how-"

Chris put a hand up, "Save it. You didn't know how to tell me because you knew your meal ticket was gone. You used me Taylor."

"No I didn't!" she exclaimed. The look of fear and nervousness slowly fading from her face. Her eyes narrowed. "I did _not_ use you and you _know_ that."

"Do I?" he yelled. "I don't know what the hell to think about you anymore!"

She looked angry and crestfallen all at the same time. They were silent for a few seconds, just staring at each other. Then she walked over to the door, yanking it open, "How about this…I want nothing to do with you anymore. Since I'm such a horrible person it shouldn't be too hard for you to stay the hell away from me…Get out."

He was surprised by her change in attitude and he wasn't exactly sure what to do. He looked down and the towel she'd dropped caught his eye. He hadn't been able to see it when she had it balled up but now he could see that it was stained with blood. Despite his anger, his first reaction was to be concerned, "What happened?"

"Hasn't been the best day Chris," she held up her hand which bore a deep gash across her palm surrounded by a few smaller but still nasty cuts. Her next words were uttered with more venom than he'd ever heard in her voice, "Get out."

-----------------------------------


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43...**

_Monday_

Viveca felt a smile spread across her face as she walked through the hotel lobby toward the restaurant. She'd seen a few of her friends there on the way in and once she was sure Jeff could handle all of the bags, she came back down to say hello. It felt so good to be back. She walked through the front doors and spotted Cory, Jessica, and Trish. Cory saw her first and stood, smiling. She rushed over and Viveca opened her arms to hug her friend.

"We missed you," Cory hugged her.

"I missed you guys too," Viveca smiled as they pulled apart.

Cory put her hands on her shoulders, her blue eyes slightly concerned. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," Viveca nodded, quickly waving to Jessica and Trish. "Much better than I thought I'd be, that's for sure."

"Good," Cory smiled. "Where's Jeff?"

"He's putting the bags in our room," Viveca explained.

Cory nodded, "You wanna come sit?"

"I would, yeah, but first..do you know where Taylor is?" Viveca asked, looking around. She knew Taylor was closer to Cory than most people so she'd kind of assumed Taylor would be there as well.

"Mark had a signing this morning so she went with," Cory explained. "They've been gone for a long time though, they'll probably be coming in any minute. They might even be back."

"Okay," Viveca nodded.

Cory looked down at her hands for a second and then back up at Viveca.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Cory shook her head. "I mean..It's just..You should definitely talk to Taylor as soon as you can. When we were in Detroit..something happened. She wont say what but..I just, I feel like I'm not helping. Maybe you can."

"Is she okay?" Viveca asked, immediately concerned.

"Physically, she's fine," Cory nodded. "She's just..not herself. She's a lot like the Taylor we first met, not so much newer less constantly depressed Taylor. You know what I mean?"

Viveca nodded, "I'm gonna go see if she's here now. Thanks for the heads up."

"No problem," Cory smiled. "I'll see you at the arena later?"

Viveca nodded and then gave her friend another quick hug before turning and exiting the restaurant. She walked back into the lobby and before she even started looking, she found just the person she needed to see.

-----------------------------------

"You alright there sweetheart?" Mark asked.

Taylor looked up at him and forced a smile, nodding, "I'm fine..just..tired I think. I might take a nap before it's time to go to the arena."

"Probably a good idea," Mark nodded. "You gotta keep your energy up this time of year. We've all got a ton of work to do."

Taylor nodded, "Thanks again for hiring me Mark."

Working for Mark meant a lot more work. Being so busy helped quite a bit in avoiding Chris which was quickly becoming one of her top priorities.

"Don't thank me," Mark said. "_You're_ the one helping _me_ out. And I really appreciate it."

She was about to say something else when her phone started ringing. She quickly pulled it out of her bag and answered, "Hello?"

No response.

"God damn it," she hung up, glaring at her phone. She made a mental note to call the phone company. The hang up calls were getting ridiculous.

"Havin a problem?" Mark asked.

"Someone keeps calling me and hanging up," she said. "I think..I mean, maybe there's something wrong with my phone. I don't know. It's annoying the hell out of me though."

"Tell ya what..next time you get one, just give me the phone," Mark said. "If it's somebody messing with you, they wont do it again."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Anytime."

They walked further into the lobby and Taylor stopped when she saw a familiar head of dark hair. Viveca was walking out of the hotel restaurant and stopped in her tracks when she saw Mark and Taylor.

Taylor wasn't sure if she was thrilled or nervous that Viveca was back. She'd missed her while she was gone and, of course, she'd been worried for her friend after such a loss but she was also afraid of all the questions Viveca would have about what went on while she was gone.

Viveca rushed over, smiling brightly.

"Hey there V," Mark smiled, opening his arms. He hugged Viveca tightly and pulled away, looking her over, "How are you?"

"I'm okay," she nodded.

"How's your family?" he asked.

"They're doing pretty well," Viveca nodded. "I got the flowers you sent, thank you."

"No need to thank me," he said. "Listen, I need to go find Glenn. I'll see you ladies at the arena later."

-----------------------------------

"See you there," Viveca smiled, waving at him as he walked away. When he was gone, Viveca smiled, pulling her into a hug, "How are you?"

"Good," Taylor smiled, nodding.

Viveca could see immediately that something wasn't right. Taylor was smiling but it was strained. Her eyes looked tired and she looked a little pale.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing," Taylor shook her head. "Why?"

Viveca gave her a look, not sure whether or not she should believe her. They talked for a few minutes about her father's funeral and her brief, albeit positive, reunion with her family. They began making their way upstairs.

"So…" Viveca looked over at her friend. "How are things with you and Chris?"

"Non-existent," Taylor answered quickly. "And as far as I'm concerned, they can stay that way."

Viveca frowned, thoroughly confused. Before she left, Chris and Taylor were falling for each other, now there was 'nothing there'? What the hell did she miss?

She wanted to ask but before she could, Taylor was typing something on her Blackberry. When she was finished she looked up and forced another smile, "So..let's go over your schedule for the next week."

-----------------------------------

Chris watched as Taylor rushed Viveca down the hall. He was on his way out of his room when he spotted them in the hall. The second Taylor's eyes met his, she rushed Viveca away. It seemed like every time he saw her lately she was in a mad rush to be somewhere else. He needed to talk to her, to apologize. Once he had a chance to think about the things he said to her, he felt horrible. He shouldn't have jumped down her throat the way he did. He shouldn't have said what he said. But he couldn't tell her that when she was avoiding him like the plague. He had to figure out something. Maybe now that she was back, Viveca could help.

-----------------------------------

Savannah watched him, wondering if he knew she was close, if he could feel her heartbeat the way she did his. She always knew when he was near. She could just feel it. They'd connected the moment they met and she was sure they had a bond that could never be broken. He'd tried to break it. That was why he needed to be punished. And he would be. But once it was over, once things were right...she wondered if they could get back to the way things were. He would learn his lesson and they would finally be together again.

She missed him so much that sometimes it was physically painful. She felt it in her chest, her stomach, every muscle in her body. She needed to be close to him again, breathe in his scent, feel his skin. But there were things that she needed to do first. Someone she had to take care of first. Then...Then things would be right.

-----------------------------------

Hunter signed a few more autographs and smiled for a couple more pictures before telling the fans he really needed to get going. He turned to see if Cory was almost done. She was standing with 3 teenage boys on either side of her, smiling brightly while another took the picture. He was walking through the lobby when he ran into her and she invited him to go to some smoothie place she loved down the street. He hadn't been able to spend much time around his good friend lately so he agreed. The second they walked into the building, they'd been bombarded with excited fans asking for autographs, pictures, hugs, handshakes, etc. They obliged as many as they could before Cory excused herself to go make their order. When they tried to leave, they were met in the parking lot with more fans. If Hunter knew Cory, he was going to have to pull her away. She tried her best to be accommodating and he admired her for that but they planned on making a few more runs before they went to the arena and they needed to get going. He walked over and looped his arm through hers, smiling to the fans, "We'll see you guys at the show tonight."

"You rock Triple H!" one of them yelled as they walked away.

Hunter smiled and waved, leading Cory to the car.

"He's right, you know?" Cory smirked. "You do rock."

"Well thank you," he laughed as they reached the car. "I'm surprised you had time to hang out with me. Your new BFFs must be busy."

"Did you just say BFF?" she smirked, handing him his drink.

"I did," he laughed.

"Aw, Hunter, you know you'll always be one of my BFFs," she laughed, hugging him.

He put his arm around her, looking back toward the restaurant. There were a few fans looking at them through the window and he wondered what they were thinking. One of them was taking pictures. He wondered how long it would take for the rumors of them dating starting making the rounds. A breeze blew by and a light, flowery scent wafted up to his nose.

"Are you using new shampoo?" he asked, looking down at the top of Cory's head.

She looked up at him, "Not that I'm aware of, why?"

He shrugged, letting go of her. "I don't know..your hair smells good."

She gave him a confused look and then shrugged, "Maybe it's the smoothies. Come on, we should go. I'll drive."

"No you wont," Hunter held up the keys and gave her a gentle push toward the passenger side.

"Why doesn't anyone wanna let me drive?" Cory asked, getting into the car. "I'm starting to get offended."

"Don't be offended," he got in, starting the car. "It's just that you're a little..irrational at times. You seem like you'd be a crazy driver."

"Hey," she smacked him on the arm. "I am a fantastic driver."

"Oh I'm sorry, is that why you cant rent cars in Wisconsin..because you're just too good of a driver?" he smirked.

"Touche," she leaned back in her seat, drinking some of her smoothie. Her phone started ringing and she looked at it then made a face, "It's my mother."

Hunter looked over at her and laughed, "You're not gonna answer it?"

"God no," she answered. "Are you crazy?"

"When was the last time you talked to her?" he asked.

"A few days ago," she sighed. "I was in the middle of a text message and accidentally answered when she called. She's always finding some way to sneak up on me."

"So then you uh..don't know about her calling me two days ago?" he tried his best to hide his smile.

"Excuse me?" Cory's blue eyes opened wide.

"She called the other day," Hunter explained. "She wanted to talk to me about the possibility of her agency representing me."

"Oh my God," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Hunter I'm sorry."

To his surprise, her cheeks were even a little red.

"It's okay," Hunter smirked. "I was flattered. She started telling me about all the potential I have to do outside projects."

"I can see in your eyes that you think this is funny," Cory pointed at him. "You don't understand how obnoxious my mother is. Now that she's made contact, she wont stop until you say yes."

"I don't mind," Hunter shrugged. "I hear she runs a great business. I'm actually considering it."

Hunter could see out of the corner of his eye that she was glaring a hole right through him.

"I hope when you say considering it, you actually mean that you plan on completely ignoring that crazy woman."

Hunter shrugged, "I don't know Cory..your mom's pretty persuasive."

"I cant talk about this anymore," Cory said. "I'll end with this..if you care about me at all, you'll tell her no."

"I'll think about it," he smiled.

They were quiet for a few minutes and though his eyes were on the road, he knew she was still glaring at him. Eventually she stopped, looking out the window. Suddenly, she perked up, smiling, "When you were torturing me, you made me forget I had something to tell you."

"And what is that?" he asked.

"Jessie says tonight's the big night," she said.

"Big night for what?" he asked, confused.

"The breakup," Cory smacked him on the arm. "James lives here, remember? What did I tell you about getting your head in the game?"

Hunter sighed, wondering if this was the right time to say what he wanted to say. Cory was so gung-ho about putting he and Jessica together and he appreciated it but…he just couldn't get behind this cause the way he once did. He couldn't explain why. He still looked at Jessica and thought she was beautiful. She was still the smart, fun, talented woman that he'd been drawn to from the first time he met her but…something was off. Something he couldn't put his finger on. He wished he could pinpoint it, then maybe he'd stop feeling like an idiot. Any man with half a brain would want Jessica and now, for some reason, he was giving up. It didn't make any sense. But his inability to understand it didn't make the problem go away.

"What's going on with you?" she asked.

"Well…" he braced himself. She was probably going to smack him upside the head. "Listen, Cory…I..my feelings for Jessie..may not be quite as strong as they used to be."

Her eyes were filled with disbelief and her features scrunched into a frown, "_What_?"

"I don't know, I mean, it took her this long to decide she didn't want to be with a complete moron? I've been right in front of her for how long and she picked _that_ guy first. Maybe we're better as friends."

"I'm gonna choose to assume that you haven't had much sleep and you'll be in your right mind tomorrow," she shook her head. "You've wanted something to happen between you and Jessie for years."

"I know but..maybe I don't anymore," Hunter said.

"Hunter you're just frustrated," Cory shook her head. "Once she finally breaks up with James, everything will be clear."

Hunter sighed seeing that there was no convincing Cory. For someone who couldn't figure out her own love life, she certainly had his all planned out.

He shrugged, "You know..maybe you're right."

-----------------------------------

Glenn opened the door to he and Jacinda's room, rushing inside. She'd called him and asked him to come back as soon as he could. Her shaky tone had him racing back to the hotel. Something was definitely wrong. He had no idea what it could be but she sounded upset.

"Jacinda?" he called closing the door behind him. "Honey, where-"

"I'm right here," came her quiet reply. She was sitting on the edge of the bed in one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants. Her dark hair was damp, her face pale.

"What's wrong?" he crossed the room in a few steps and knelt in front of her. "What happened?"

She took a deep, shaky breath and looked into his eyes, "Do..do you think our relationship has been moving a little fast?"

Glenn was taken aback by the question, "I..I guess so, yeah, but not in a bad way. At least not in my opinion."

The corner of her mouth lifted weakly and she took another deep breath, "I really hope you mean that. Because it looks like we're about to take a huge step."

Glenn frowned, confused, "What do you mean?"

"I haven't been feeling well the past few days," she said.

He nodded. They'd both assumed she had the stomach flu that was plaguing some of the crew.

"So I took a test..a pregnancy test," she said. "It's positive…I'm pregnant."

-----------------------------------


	44. Chapter 44

**Okay my peeps, to make up for the serious lack of updates, I'm not only posting a second chapter tonight but it's a _very_ long one. From now on the chapters should be pretty lengthy because we're getting closer and closer to the end of the story. I'm going to try to get another done today but I'm exhausted so I'm gonna take a wee bit of a nap first. Hope ya like it and As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 44...**

Dawn plopped down on her couch, phone pressed to her ear. She opened the pizza box in front of her, pulling out a piece. She could practically hear her best friend telling her how she needed to eat healthier food for the baby but she didn't care. 'The baby' had been craving pepperoni for days. She tried at first to resist but in the end, resistance was futile. She sighed as the phone continued to ring. Cory never took this long to answer the phone.

"Hello," an unfamiliar recorded voice said. "You've reached the voicemail of Cory Samms. This is her personal assistant and I'll be receiving most of her messages. If this is a business inquiry, press 1 and leave your message, the purpose of your call, and contact information. If this is a personal call press 2 and leave your message. I will get Ms. Samms the message as soon as possible. I suppose that's that, have a good day."

Dawn frowned at the message. It didn't really seem like something Cory would approve. She shrugged though, pressing 2 and waiting until she heard a beep to speak.

"Cory, it's me. I was just sitting around eating junk food and thought I'd call so you could yell at me. Give me a call when you get a chance…I miss you."

She hung up the phone and placed it on the coffee table then propped her feet on the table, looking at the couch next to her. That morning she'd received a large box from UPS and when she opened it, she found a large baby bag full of clothes and toys. The gift was from her mother. She couldn't help but remember the first time she received a baby bag from her mother.

"_Come on darlin', I wanna see what's in this thing," Mark said, sitting on the couch and dropping the bag next to him._

"_Well I apologize Mark, when you're as big as a house, you don't move very fast," Dawn groaned, slowly making her way toward the couch. Mark smiled, getting up and walking over to her. Before she knew it, she'd been scooped up into his arms. He was always doing that. A few of her friends with children told her about how much their feet hurt while they were pregnant. She never had to deal with that. Mark seemed to think she couldn't walk. She couldn't say she had a problem with it._

"_You are not big as a house," he chuckled, setting her down on the couch. "If anything you're a condo..a one bedroom."_

"_Ha ha," she glared at him. "A wrestler and a comedian. I had no idea you were so multi faceted."_

"_I'm a man of many gifts," Mark winked at her. "And speaking of gifts…"_

"_Okay, okay, we can open it," Dawn laughed. Her mother had forbid them to open the gift in her presence so they had to wait until they got back to the house and Mark was itching to see what gifts the grandmother-to-be had purchased._

_Dawn unzipped the bag and Mark reached in quickly, pulling out the first thing he could get his hands on. It was a tiny black shirt and he broke into a broad smile when he saw the front of it._

"_What does it say?" she asked._

_He turned it around and she laughed when she saw 'PHENOM Jr.'._

"_I like the way your mother thinks," Mark laughed._

"_I don't know why she's so sure we're having a boy," Dawn shook her head._

"_Because she wants a grandson," Mark said. "She knows what a handful you girls are."_

"_Oh really?" Dawn raised a brow. "So you're saying that _you_ want a boy?"_

"_I want a healthy baby with 10 fingers and 10 toes," Mark smiled, holding her hands up as if to illustrate his point._

"_Just fingers and toes?" Dawn smirked. "You're not worried about two eyes?"_

_Mark shrugged, "Nothin' wrong with a cyclops."_

"_Mark!" she smacked him hard on the arm. "You're gonna jinx our baby."_

_He laughed at her response, blocking her from hitting him again. She tried again and he took her hands in his, trying to stop laughing, "Will you calm down?"_

"_Don't say things like that," she pulled one of her hands away, pointing at him threateningly._

"_Dawn, our baby is gonna be perfect," he pulled her forward, kissing her forehead. "No matter how many toes on his feet or hairs on his head. Okay?"_

_Dawn raised a brow at him, "_His_? So you _do_ want a boy.."_

Dawn tried her best to shake the memory away. She needed to get her mind off of Mark and focus on her baby and their health. It was hard though. Sometimes when she closed her eyes, all she could see was the look on Mark's face the last time they spoke. He'd looked so desperate, so upset. She wanted so badly to believe that things would be different this time but she just couldn't risk it. She wished she could explain that to him but…she just couldn't. She was too scared. Too scared to tell him what was going on. Too scared to deal with all of her feelings, all of their issues. She took a deep breath and picked up another piece of pizza. She needed to stop thinking about him so much. Once the baby was born, maybe they could work out their problems. Right now, she needed to stay healthy. She looked at the slowly emptying pizza box and then at her ever-growing belly and sighed, "And I also need to order more food."

-----------------------------------

Portia ran her brush through her hair as she walked through the halls of the arena. The show would be starting any minute and she was getting that butterfly feeling she always got before they went live. She smiled and nodded to a few crew members as she walked. She wasn't sure exactly where she was headed. She didn't have to be on the show until about midway through so she didn't have anywhere in particular to be. She thought about looking for John but the last time she saw him, he was on the phone with his father and she didn't want to disturb him. Usually she hung out with Randy before the show but lately that didn't seem to be his idea of a good time. Every time she saw him, he had a hand on Cory. She had no problem with couples showing affection but Randy and Cory could get a little irritating. They were always holding hands or his hand was on the small of her back or her arm was looped through his. They always had to be touching.

"Don't hurt yourself there Kelly."

Portia hadn't realized that she'd started brushing her hair somewhat roughly until she heard the voice behind her. She turned to see Randy leaning against a wall, his trademark smirk firmly in place. He was wearing a dark blue suit for the show and, as usual, not a hair was out of place.

"Hey," she smiled, a little confused and embarrassed at her own actions. She'd just been so tense lately. She couldn't see why. Things were going exactly as she wanted. She had John.

"You look nice," he nodded to her.

"Thanks, so do you," she smiled.

"Of course I do," he smirked. "Did you have a good time last night?"

Cory, Randy, John and Portia had all gone to a club the night before with John's brothers Matt and Sean.

"Yeah it was a lot of fun," Portia said. "Although I did get a little nervous when Cory and Matt started dancing on the bar."

"Yeah they were both pretty sauced," Randy laughed. "I had a hard time getting her to go to bed last night."

Portia didn't need the mental image of Randy and Cory doing anything involving a bed so she tried her best to ignore his comment.

"You know..it's great that the four of us can all hang out but…I kinda miss you and me going out by ourselves. We used to do that all the time."

She nervously twirled her brush in her hands, unsure of why she chose that particular moment to share her thoughts with Randy.

"I know what you mean," Randy nodded.

"What are you doing Wednesday night?" she asked. That was their next off day, she figured maybe they could do something.

"Cory and I are going to some restaurant she said she's dying to try," he answered.

"Oh," she nodded, looking down at her brush.

"What are you doing Thursday?" he asked.

She sighed, "John and I are supposed to meet up with some friends of mine."

Randy nodded, "Well…I'm sure we'll figure something out eventually."

Portia nodded, disappointed. She was enjoying being with John again, she really was, it was just…she missed Randy.

"Yeah," she forced a smile. "We'll figure something out."

"There you are."

Portia tensed when she heard Cory's cheerful voice behind her.

Randy's blue eyes widened as she approached and Portia had an incredible urge to smack him upside his head.

Cory quickly came into view, looking perfect, of course, in a black shirt and a very short dark blue skirt. Randy rested his arm over her shoulders smiling down at her, "You were looking for me?"

"Yeah," she took his hand. "We have to go tape."

Portia was about to walk away when Cory flashed her a brilliant smile, "Hey Portia."

"Hey," Portia tried her best to sound cheerful.

"You don't mind if I steal him, do you?" Cory smiled.

"Of course not," Portia said. "He's yours."

"We'll see you later," Randy waved at her before they made their exit.

Portia waved, "Break a leg."

-----------------------------------

"She's pregnant?" Mark stared. He shook his head in disbelief, "You gotta be kidding."

Glenn sighed, sitting on a bench and shaking his head, "Didn't seem like a joke to me."

"How could she be pregnant?" Mark asked. "You've dating for what? A couple weeks?"

"I don't think there's a dating requirement for pregnancy Mark," Glenn ran his hands over his hair.

"I'm sorry I just…wow," Mark sat beside his friend. He couldn't imagine what was going through Glenn's head. "Is she sure?"

"She did three different tests," Glenn said. "She made a doctor appointment to be 100 but…she's pretty damn sure."

Mark shook his head, confused. It wasn't like Glenn to be irresponsible. He wasn't some young kid who wasn't worried about the consequences of his actions.

"Do you think there's a possibility that she-"

"She's telling the truth Mark," Glenn said, beginning to look angry. "Look, I know you don't like her but I don't need you questioning this right now. That doesn't help me."

"Whoa, calm down," Mark said. "I just want to make sure you're taking everything into consideration. You haven't known her that long, there is the possibility that it's not yours."

"Haven't you learned from personal experience not to make accusations like that?" Glenn asked. "Watch it Glenn," Mark pointed. "I'm trying to be your friend right now. I understand that you're a little confused right now but-"

"I'm not you Mark," Glenn said. "I wouldn't accuse a woman I care about of lying to me. I'm trying _not_ to ruin my relationship forever."

Mark's jaw clenched and his muscles tensed at his friend's jab. He was trying his best to control his temper because he knew Glenn was in shock. For that reason alone, he walked out the door, slamming it behind him before he said something he regretted.

-----------------------------------

Hunter watched on the monitor as Cory and Randy were interviewed by Todd Grisham. Todd was reviewing the problems going on with Evolution for the last few weeks.

"In light of all of this, I guess the question on everyone's mind is…Is Evolution falling apart?"

Cory opened her mouth to speak but Randy cut her off, "Todd..I'm not surprised that you would ask such a stupid question…The answer to that is _no_. Evolution is not falling apart. In fact, the most dominant group in professional wrestling is stronger than ever…and we'll prove that tonight."

Cory once again looked like she was about to speak but Randy took her hand, pulling her away and leaving Todd Grisham looking confused as the show went to commercial.

"Boo!"

Hunter didn't jump when he heard Jessica in the doorway.

"You're no fun," she walked in, picking up a discarded towel and tossing it at him.

"Thank you," he laughed, shrugging the towel off of his shoulder as he finished taping his left wrist. "To what do I owe a visit from our lovely Women's champ?"

"I just thought I'd come by and say hello to my best friend," Jessica smiled, walking over and taking the tape from him and beginning to tape his other wrist. "I've barely seen you the past few days. I was beginning to think you were hiding from me."

"And why would I do that?" he asked, knowing that there was a distinct possibly that he had been avoiding her. He felt guilty but he was trying to work things out in his head and being around her confused him more. With her standing in front of him right then, he felt something. She looked incredible in a black tank top and a pair of short white shorts. Her hair billowed around her shoulders in waves, her gorgeous blue eyes focused on his wrist. Part of what was so confusing was that he could still feel the attraction when they were in close proximity but he never found himself thinking about her the way he used to. He didn't wonder where she was or what she was doing or wish that she was around the way he used to. Maybe Cory was right and once things were over between Jessica and James, everything would be clear.

"I don't know," she answered his question. "You've just seemed..different. We're okay, right?"

The uncertainty in her voice concerned him. Regardless of whether or not he was attracted to her, she was still one of his best friends and he was making her think that something was wrong.

"Of course we are," he tried for a reassuring smile. "I've been out of it lately but..we're fine."

"Promise?" she smiled as she finished taping his wrist.

"I promise," he tucked her hair behind her ears.

Her smile spread wider and she pulled him into a hug, "Good."

-----------------------------------

Taylor typed an email to one of the WWE's publicists on her laptop, occasionally looking up at the monitor in front of her. Viveca was making her return to TV, accompanying Adam and Jason to the ring in their match against her former tag-team Sylvan and Rene. The match was to determine who would get a Tag Team championship match against the Dudleys at Wrestlemania. She smiled, glad that her friend was back to work and looking happy. At least the people around her were happy. She heard someone tapping on the doorframe and she looked up to see Jeff Hardy entering the room.

"Hey," she smiled. "Welcome back."

"Thanks," he said. "Did we miss anything exciting?"

Taylor flinched for a second but recovered quickly, "Nope, not really."

Jeff nodded, "Listen..Taylor..can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure," she pushed her computer away. "What's up?"

"Well…before V's dad passed away..I was..I was planning on asking her something," Jeff said, straddling a chair and looking down at his hands anxiously.

"Something like what?" she asked, though she was pretty sure, thanks to his demeanor, what it was.

"I was planning on proposing," he admitted.

"Wow," Taylor smiled. "That's great."

"It is?" Jeff looked up, smiling.

She laughed a little at his surprised expression, "Yeah..you two obviously love each other. Of course that's a good thing."

"I'm glad you think so," he smiled, nodding. "It's just that..well, after what she's been through this past week…I don't know if I should now..I mean, I feel like I should wait."

Taylor wasn't exactly sure why Jeff was coming to her about this. She wasn't exactly an expert on love and relationships.

"You and Vivie are close," he sighed. "I was hoping maybe you could..you know..feel her out…help me figure out when would be a good time…Please?"

"Sure," Taylor shrugged, looking over at the monitor again as Viveca slapped Sylvan's foot off of the bottom rope, allowing Jason to get a 3 count. Adam and Jason got out of the ring quickly and put Viveca up on their shoulders as they celebrated their win.

"Really?" Jeff once again looked surprised.

"Of course," Taylor said. "You're both my friends. I don't mind helping out."

"Thanks Taylor," Jeff smiled excitedly. "I really appreciate it. You don't know how nervous I am about this."

"Don't be nervous Jeff," Taylor shook her head. "Viveca loves you. I'm sure whenever you do ask, her answer will be yes."

"You think so?" he smiled a boyish smile.

She nodded, "I'm positive."

-----------------------------------

John finished signing the items he'd been asked to sign for the WWE's auction site and put the cap on his sharpie, sitting down and taking his hat off. He was tired thanks to being out so late the night before. Well…that and having the room next to Cory's again. She was up drunken giggling and doing God knows what with Randy for hours after they got back. This whole plan to frustrate her seemed to be having more of an effect on _him_. She was still dating Randy. He was, sort of, seeing Portia and now they were all going out like some weird foursome. When they were at the club, Cory danced with everyone, Portia included, except for him. John wanted to be pissed about that but the fact was, she'd been surprisingly nice to him. She just didn't get close to him. And it drove him crazy. It drove him crazy knowing that he couldn't touch her but Randy could. And did. He shuddered at the thought. Jessica's advice definitely wasn't working. Cory didn't seem to be anywhere near a breaking point. Being nice obviously wasn't enough. He needed to step this up.

"Hey there."

He looked up, smiling when he saw Portia walking toward him. His smile grew wider when he saw Cory over her shoulder. He had an idea.

-----------------------------------

"And please call my mother and ask her to stop soliciting my friends," Cory said as she and Jacinda walked down the hall. She was rattling off a To-Do list for her assistant to execute.

"Wouldn't you rather call your mother?" Jacinda asked.

"Not at all," Cory answered casually.

"Okay," Jacinda laughed, entering the item into her PDA.

"Oh and can you get me a salad when you get a minute because I haven't eaten since this morning and I'm getting really hungry but the lettuce here looked funny," Cory said.

"Okay," Jacinda nodded.

"Sorry if I'm being a pain," Cory said.

"I've come to terms with what a picky eater you are," Jacinda shrugged.

Cory wasn't sure what to make of that statement but she shrugged it off. She was a picky eater. It was one of the few traits she'd inherited from her mother.

"Don't forget, you have to fly out to Connecticut Thursday morning to tape an interview for Confidential," Jacinda reminded her.

"With who?" Cory asked, drinking from her water bottle.

"I'll have to check on that, I've been given a few different names," Jacinda said. "You also have a signing in Hartford that night."

Cory nodded, "And when is my next photo shoot scheduled?"

"The morning of the 24th," Jacinda answered.

Cory shook her head, "Is there any way you can reschedule it? That's Mark's birthday I cant…"

Cory trailed off when she realized that Jacinda was staring at something. She followed the other woman's gaze and stopped walking when she saw Portia and John passionately kissing in full view of just about everyone. She felt a strange twinge in her chest and she looked away quickly, taking a deep breath. She was definitely not expecting that. To her surprise, she felt a stinging feeling in the backs of her eyes and she turned around, blinking rapidly.

"Cory, are you alright?"

"Me?" Cory flashed Jacinda a smile. "I'm great. I need to go get changed. Let me know when you get that shoot rescheduled."

Before Jacinda could say another word, Cory walked away, taking deep breaths. She was not going to cry. She was not about to allow herself to cry over John. He could kiss Portia. He could do whatever he wanted. It wasn't any of her business. She was with Randy, he was with Portia. They were two consenting adults, there was nothing wrong with them being affectionate in public.

She reached the women's locker room and rested her hands on the vanity, taking deep breaths. After a few seconds she looked up and saw her eyes filled with tears.

There was nothing wrong with them being affectionate….so why did she feel like someone just punched her in the chest?

-----------------------------------

"Okay what is so urgent that I couldn't even change my clothes?" Viveca asked, stepping out of her heels as Chris pulled her into a conference room. "And what did you do to Taylor while I was gone? I've been looking for you all day to ask."

"Well what I need you to see has something to do with what I did to Taylor," Chris said, pulling out a chair for her and handing her what looked to be a newspaper article he'd printed out.

"Young Detroit mother convicted of murder," Viveca read the headline. "What is this?"

"Just read it," Chris said anxiously, sitting in another chair.

Viveca sighed, reading the article out loud, "Nancy Vogle was convicted Tuesday of the murder of her husband, Detroit area construction worker Franklin Everett. Vogle admitted to stabbing Everett 46 times in the torso and legs, alleging that she feared for her life and the life of their 12 year old daughter. The gruesome scene was discovered by neighbor and family friend Paul Cowell. The couple's daughter was found locked in a hall closet, unconscious. The child was hospitalized due to trauma though it is also documented that she was malnourished and bore the signs of physical abuse. The defense alleged that Everett was abusive to both his wife and child but the jury still determined that Vogle should be jailed due to the brutal nature of the crime. During her mother's sentencing, the daughter broke down and could be heard screaming something inaudible as she was escorted from the court room. She was later sedated and hospitalized for further observation….Oh my God…"

Viveca could hardly believe what she'd just read. The article was accompanied by a picture of the family. None of them were smiling. Viveca immediately recognized Taylor. She was small and very thin and there were bruises on her arms and one on the side of her neck. Nancy's appearance was pretty much the same. Viveca put the paper down, unable to look at it anymore. Now she understood why Taylor was so withdrawn sometimes, why she never spoke about her family. This explained why she could be so emotional, her night terrors, her difficulty getting close to men. Viveca felt tears in her eyes, wondering just how bad the abuse had gotten. She probably didn't want to know. Then she remembered why Chris had brought her there.

"Chris," she tried to keep her tone even. "What did you do?"

"I found out about this from Paul Cowell's daughter," Chris said. "We ran into her when we went out to dinner. Taylor ditched us and we were talking and she told me. Paula says that there were rumors when it happened that Taylor was the one who did it..not her mother."

"That's impossible," Viveca shook her head. "Taylor could never kill anyone."

"But-"

"But nothing," Viveca shook her head vigorously. "Taylor couldn't do that. You know her. You know she couldn't….wait…what did you do?"

"I was pissed," Chris said. "I felt like she should have told me…I..I went to her room and I confronted her. I accused her of lying to me and using me for a job and a place to stay..I…I know I shouldn't have said that I just..I was shocked. I didn't know what to think."

"I cannot believe you," Viveca glared at him, shaking her head. "Chris, how could you treat her like that?"

"Look I know I was wrong but..can you blame me for being shocked?" Chris asked.

"Can you blame her for not telling you?" Viveca returned. "Look at how you reacted! Chris, Taylor was falling for you. She _trusted_ you and I think it's fairly obvious after what we know now that trusting a man is not easy for her to do."

"I know-"

"She's obviously been through hell and you went and threw it in her face," Viveca shook her head. "You know how she is, she's probably living through it all in her head all over again."

Chris looked down at his hands, obviously ashamed, "V..I.."

"Why does she have that bandage on her hand?" she asked. "I asked and she said her burned herself."

Chris shook his head, "She cut herself…After I yelled at her, she showed me. It was this deep gash…I don't know if she did it on purpose or what but…it was bad."

Viveca put a hand over her mouth closing her eyes for a second. She was so worried for her friend. She couldn't imagine what was going through her head.

She opened her eyes and pointed angrily at Chris, "You _better not_ have told anyone about this."

"I didn't," he shook his head. "I swear."

"Good," she turned to leave. She needed to find Taylor. Chris followed her out of the room and they practically ran right into the young blonde. Taylor saw the look on Viveca's face and then Chris's and immediately looked angry.

"You just couldn't wait to tell someone, could you?" she glared at Chris. "What? Are you trying to get me fired now?"

"Taylor it's okay," Viveca took her hands. "No one else knows. And I would never fire you, you know that."

Taylor looked skeptical.

Viveca looked over her shoulder at Chris, "You can go now."

"But-"

"Chris..I need to talk to Taylor.._without_ you."

Chris looked frustrated but he turned and stormed away.

Taylor looked to be on the brink of tears, "Viveca I-"

"Come in here," Viveca led her into the room they'd just left. Taylor followed her into the room and Viveca closed the door.

"Viveca I don't know what he told you but-"

"It doesn't matter," Viveca shook her head. "You're my friend. I trust you. I don't believe you could hurt someone that way. And I promise you, no one will find out about this. Chris wont tell anyone and neither will I."

Taylor sniffed, blinking rapidly. She nodded and took a deep breath, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Viveca said. "Just promise me that when you need someone…you'll talk to me, talk to Cory, Chris…just.._someone_. Okay?"

"I'd rather not talk to Chris if I don't have to," Taylor's jaw clenched. "I was stupid to think that…"

She trailed off shaking her head and Viveca took her hands again, deciding it would be best not to press the subject of Chris at the moment.

"As long as you talk to someone," Viveca said. She put her hand over Taylor's bandage, "And don't hurt yourself."

Taylor nodded, sniffing, "I wont."

-----------------------------------

Cory paced back and forth, running through her match in her head. She knew it back and forth but she figured if she kept running through the match she wouldn't focus on anything else. Anything like John. Or Portia. Or the two of them shoving their tongues down each other's throats for the whole world to see. Was that really necessary? She and Randy didn't do things like that. They were very discreet. They didn't go flaunting their relationship in front of John.

"Kid?"

Cory looked up when she heard Mark's voice. She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her thumb, putting on a smile, "Hey. What's up?"

"I saw what just happened," he walked in, looking down at her with a sympathetic gaze.

"Saw what exactly?" Cory laughed.

"You know your voice raises at last an octave when you're upset," he smiled at her.

"I'm not upset," she shook her head. "Why would I be upset?"

Her voice cracked and she knew she wasn't going to be able to convince him. She couldn't convince herself this time. Seeing them together that way…it hurt.

"Come here," Mark pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head. She wanted to pull away and keep insisting that she was okay until they both believed it but the chances of that happening were slim to none at this point. She rested her head against Mark, closing her eyes. He was the only person she knew who could comfort her without saying a word. He was always there for her. Tears sprang to her eyes when she realized that, once again, Mark was there for her. Mark dropped what he was doing to check on her and make sure she was alright. She had to be the most horrible friend in the world. all she had to do to make things better for him was tell him why Dawn left. Just tell him the truth. But she'd made that stupid promise to Dawn and now she couldn't break it. She didn't deserve a friend like Mark.

Mark pulled away, his hands on either side of his face. Anger flashed in his eyes when he saw her tears, "Do I need to go talk to him?"

"No," Cory shook her head. "This isn't all his fault."

-----------------------------------

Taylor was sitting in the men's locker room shutting down her laptop. She was pretty much done with work for the night. She'd just finished showing Mark some t-shirts design and typing up his comments to email back to the artists. Mark had left to talk to Hunter while she finished up. She was considering leaving early to go back to the hotel. She was tired and she had a throbbing headache. A tiny bit of weight had been lifted from her shoulders knowing that Viveca, had made sure Chris wouldn't tell anyone her secret. She was touched that Viveca was so concerned for her well-being. Unlike Chris, her first reaction was to believe that Taylor wouldn't hurt anyone. She really felt like someone was in her corner. It was comforting but she still couldn't get over the way Chris had treated her. She kept replaying their conversation, among other things, in her mind. Why did she ever think that someone like him could have real feelings for someone like her? She closed her laptop, telling herself to stop thinking about it. Whatever she thought there was between them was obviously all in her head. She sighed, sliding the laptop into her bag. She had other things plaguing her. Her dreams were back and more vivid than ever. She hadn't slept more than two hours a night in days for fear that she wouldn't wake up. She was scared that somehow the dreams would just consume her. She felt like a child and her father was the boogeyman who would come for her in the night and she would never wake up again. The door swung open and Taylor looked up, her entire body tensing when she saw Chris enter the room. He'd just finished a match and he was still in his gear. She quickly picked up her bag and put it over her shoulder, trying to walk out without saying a word.

"Taylor wait," Chris tried to step in front of her but she moved around him.

"Taylor," he got in front of the door. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't," she tried to push him out of the way but he would not be moved. "Can you just _move_? _Please_?"

"No," she shook her head. "Talk to me."

"I don't want to talk to you," she looked around the room. She looked everywhere except at him.

"Taylor I have been trying for days to tell you I'm sorry," he said, closing the door.

"I know that, I check my messages," she said, putting her bag down. She was trapped. He wasn't letting her out until he said his peace. She crossed her arms over her chest, still looking away.

"Then why wont you speak to me?" he asked. "You wont even look at me!"

"Is that a serious question?" she finally looked in his direction. Her hands were shaking and she could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks, "_Why_ wont I _talk_ to you? Do you not _remember_ what you said to me?"

-----------------------------------

"It was a lot to process," Chris tried to explain himself. Taylor was obviously fuming and he was trying to keep his own temper in check. Her anger was justified but he made a mistake. He wanted to make up for it and she wouldn't even let him try. "Can you really blame me for being shocked?"

"For being shocked? No," she shook her head. "For being a complete asshole and berating me like I'm some kind of lying, stealing, homicidal maniac? Yeah, I can blame you for that."

"I'm _sorry_ Taylor!" he insisted. "I don't know what else to say! I was angry because I had to hear it from a stranger."

"I would have told you!" she insisted.

"_When_ Taylor?" he yelled back. "When were you gonna tell me?"

"When I knew that you wouldn't react like that," she said, her eyes welling with tears. "When I knew you wouldn't run away from me like I'm a psycho murderer…I guess it was stupid of me to think that would ever happen."

Her entire body was starting to tremble and she kept clenching and unclenching her jaw. She crossed her arms tightly and looked down at the floor.

"Taylor-"

"You wanna know the truth Chris?" she looked up at him, her eyes filled with anger. "You wanna know what happened? _So do I_!"

"What?" he looked at her confused.

"The truth is…I don't remember that night…I've tried and _tried_. I _cant_ remember. And it _kills_ me that there's even the slightest possibility that after everything my mother did for me," she sniffed, her voice cracking. "After everything she did, she could be where she is because she's trying to protect me. She wont even _talk_ to me. She wont see me and I'm not sure why. Contrary to what _you_ seemed to believe, I'm not some shady criminal who revels in the freedom of knowing I beat a murder rap. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the happiest person around here..I _hate_ this…I hate that there's nothing I can do. I can remember so many details from my childhood…I can remember the time he held my hand over a fire, the time he broke my wrist, my jaw, the times he locked me out of the house in the middle of the night, sometimes during a thunderstorm..all of that is clear but I cant remember the night the son of a bitch died and it _kills_ me."

Chris stared, stunned and confused. Tears were trailing rivers over her cheeks now and he wanted so badly to just reach out and touch her but he was certain that his touch wasn't welcome.

She sniffed, shaking her head, a bitter smile touching her lips, "Sometimes I think I'd be less fucked up if I just knew. If I just knew what happened, then maybe all of this shit that goes on in my head would go away. But I don't know Chris and someday I'm pretty sure I'll go insane because of it..So there you go…There's the truth."

Chris stared, not knowing what to say. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, he wanted desperately to just hold her, to help her. That was the most she'd ever told him about her childhood and he wished she'd been so open with him for a different reason. He wished she'd told him because she trusted him, because she wanted to tell him, not because she felt like she had to or because she was angry. He wanted to be able to fix this but he couldn't think of a way.

"I-I'm so sorry Taylor," he stammered. "I didn't know all that. I didn't know you didn't remember."

"Yeah..well..you didn't ask," she said, trying once again to walk past him.

"Taylor wait," he grabbed her arm, turning her to face him again. "Maybe..maybe there's some way I can help."

Her face twisted in anger and confusion.

"Maybe we-"

"No Chris," she shook her head. "_We_ cant do anything…Please, just leave me alone."

-----------------------------------

RAW

The crowd reaction was mixed as Evolution made their way to the ring. When Cory entered the ring, the cheering got louder as she blew a kiss to a young fan in the front row. When her partner Batista made his way into the ring, the booing took over. Cory walked over to the opposite corner and shook hands with opponent Trish Stratus and was about to do the same when Batista came over and roughly grabbed her arm, pulling her back to their corner.

"I'm not sure I believe what Randy Orton said earlier about unity in Evolution," King said as Randy forced The Animal to let go of his fiancé.

"All Cory was doing was showing a little class and sportsmanship," JR said. "I suppose I can see how that would be offensive to a member of Evolution.

Randy kissed Cory for luck and then he and Portia climbed out of the ring while Batista and RVD took their places on the corners and the women began the match. Cory dominated the match for the most part with Trish barely getting any offense. Then, Trish got a lucky shot to Cory's face, knocking the taller diva back long enough for her to get to her corner and tag RVD.

"Folks this is an intergender match which means the men and women can face off against each other," JR explained.

"It looks like RVD is gonna let Cory tag Batista," King said as RVD pointed to the Evolution corner.

Cory shrugged, walking back to her corner but before she could tag the animal, he jumped down from the corner.

"What the hell is Batista doing?" JR asked.

"He wont accept the tag," King said, shocked.

Cory stood on the bottom rope, leaning over and yelling for him to get back up there.

Batista could be heard saying 'Finish it yourself.'

"What?" JR exclaimed. "He just told her she's on her own. What kind of a man is he?"

Cory got off of the rope and turned around, her expression full of disbelief.

RVD put his hands up and walked back to his corner, tagging Trish back in.

"At least one of the men out here has some class," JR spat.

Batista and Randy were arguing with each other while Cory and Trish faced off once again.

Cory was able to maintain her upper hand for a while longer, though Trish mounted much more offense this time around. Randy left his argument with Batista and walked around to RVD and Trish's corner, grabbing RVD's ankle and yanking him off the apron, executing an RKO on the mat outside the ring. Cory saw what happened and was visibly upset but quickly turned her attention back to the match, taking Trish down with a heel kick and then pulling her back up and executing a Northern Lights suplex, holding her bridge until she got the three count. The crowd cheered, obviously for her and not her counterparts. Cory directed an icy gaze to Batista who was still standing at ringside as she helped Trish up and shook hands with the blonde diva. RVD slid back into the ring and Cory seemed to be apologizing to him before he and Trish left.

"I think you were right not to believe the Legend Killer, JR," King said. "There are obviously some serious issues going on here."

Cory stood in the ring, hands on her hips, shaking her head. Batista came into the ring and she immediately started yelling at him.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," JR said as Cory pointed and yelled in Batista's face.

Randy got into the ring and wedged himself between the two, yelling for Batista to leave Cory alone. The two men then began yelling at each other and it was Cory's turn to try and separate them.

"I have a feeling this is not going to end well King," JR said as Cory held them both at arms length and they continued yelling, reaching around her. Then, out of nowhere, Randy grabbed Cory's hand and pulled her against him.

"What's Orton doing?" JR asked.

Cory looked just as confused and then, Randy pushed her backward and right into a vicious spine buster courtesy of Batista, her head bouncing off of the canvas.

"Oh My God!" King exclaimed.

"What the hell just happened?" JR yelled. "How could he do that?"

Cory writhed in pain, rolling onto her side as Randy and Batista stood over her, smiles on both of their faces.

The crowd went wild when Ric Flair raced out onto the stage and down the ramp. He slid into the ring, pushing both Batista and Randy away from his daughter and taking off his suit jacket. Then, to the shock of the crowd, he smiled, applauding both men.

"This is sick!" JR yelled as Ric knelt down, pointing in Cory's face.

Portia walked slowly up the ring steps, smiling from ear to ear at the scene unfolding before her.

"Portia's loving this," King observed.

"Of course she is," JR said in disgust "She's wanted this to happen since they day Cory came back."

Portia entered the ring and knelt over her nemesis, slapping her hard across the face.

"Somebody put a stop to this!" JR demanded. "This is not right!"

As if directly responding to JR's call, RVD and Trish Stratus appeared on the stage and ran down to the ring. Trish ran in and tackled Portia and the two divas rolled clear out of the ring. RVD got up onto the top turnbuckle and jumped off, kicking Batista in the face. The Nature Boy grabbed Cory by the hair and was pulling her up when the crowd erupted. He looked toward the ramp to see what was going on when John Cena jumped the security barricade and came into the ring, diving on him from behind.

"Cena came through the crowd!" JR exclaimed.

"This is crazy," King said as RVD knocked Batista over the top ropes. John did the same with Ric and turned just in time to see the Legend Killer holding a chair. Randy's eyes went wide when he realized he'd been caught and he slid out of the ring, narrowly escaping Cena's grasp. He helped Portia and Ric up as Trish got back into the ring and knelt beside Cory who was still writhing in pain and holding her shoulder.

"I cant believe what just happened," King said as the members of Evolution backed up the ramp.

The show went to commercial with Trish and John helping Cory out of the ring.

-----------------------------------

John carried Cory up the ramp as planned and she kept herself lip, her head lolling back. He was concerned. He'd been watching the monitor closely and noticed that she landed on her shoulder awkwardly when Dave gave her the spine buster. As soon as they got through the black curtain, she started trying to get out of his arms. He put her down but caught her good arm before she could walk away, "Hey…are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she tried to leave.

"Wait a minute," he pulled her back. "That spine buster didn't look right. Maybe you need to go to the train-"

"I'm fine," she tried to get around him but he blocked her.

"Cory," he said, trying for a gentle tone. "Come on, just-"

Before he could continue, Portia came up, wrapping her arms around him, "Wow, the crowd really went crazy for that."

-----------------------------------

Cory looked away when Portia came up and wrapped herself around John. She really wasn't in the mood for this but they were both blocking her escape route.

"Oh hey Cory," Portia beamed. "Good show tonight."

"Thanks," Cory forced a smile. "If you'll excuse me…"

She gestured for Portia to step aside and the other woman was only to happy to oblige. Cory walked between them, ignoring John's eyes, which were still locked on her. She walked to the locker room, feeling that same sting she felt earlier when she saw John and Portia kissing. She felt like a complete idiot. Why was she letting this get to her? Why was she letting _him_ get to her?

She plopped down on the couch, burying her face in her hands and taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't let this happen.

"Cory…" Jacinda came in. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Cory looked up, giving her assistant a reassuring smile. "I'm good. My shoulder just hurts."

-----------------------------------


	45. Chapter 45

**Okay my peeps, first I have to once again thank you for the reviews. I really do appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. Hope ya like it, I'm hoping to have another one up tomorrow night. Now I'm off to work. Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 45...**

_Thursday…_

"If Taylor finds out where you're going, she's gonna freak out," Viveca paced back and forth in front of Chris. Chris had come by early that morning and informed her that he had an idea. He was going to try to help Taylor whether she wanted him to or not and he was already making steps. He was going to Detroit to the correctional facility where Nancy Vogle resided. He was going to try to get the story straight from the only person who would know.

"I know she is," Chris said. "And that's why I'm asking you not to tell her."

"You really think this will help?" Viveca asked. "I mean, if she wont see her daughter, what makes you think she'll talk to you?"

"I don't know if she will or not," Chris admitted. "But I'm gonna try. If anyone can give us _something_, it's her."

Viveca sighed, plopping down beside him on the couch. They were going through a very rough patch but it was obvious from the look in Chris's eyes that Taylor and her well being were important to him. He cared deeply for her and he was willing to try just about anything to help her. She hoped that eventually Taylor would understand that.

"Okay," nodded. "I wont tell her. When are you going?"

"Next week, Tuesday," Chris said. "I don't have to work Smackdown so I'm flying out Monday night. I figure since she's not speaking to me, Taylor wont even notice I'm gone."

"She'll come around Chris," Viveca assured him. "She just needs some time."

Chris smiled but she could see that he wasn't quite as sure as she was, "Yeah..I hope so."

-----------------------------------

"Stick around because after the break, I'm talking to the Dudleys about the TLC match at Wrestlemania, what they think of their opponents La Resistance and Edge and Christian, _and_ what they plan on doing about Edge and Christian's ace in the hole, Viveca LeVeaux," Cory smiled into the camera.

"And speaking of TLC matches," Gene chimed in. "I'll be interviewing Matt Hardy about facing off against his brother Jeff on the biggest stage of them all."

"Cut," the director yelled, giving Cory and Gene a thumbs up. "Let's take a break for about a 15 minutes everyone."

Cory looked through the papers on the table in front of her as Gene walked off to talk to the camera man. She was tired and in desperate need of a nap. Unfortunately, her day was packed and she wouldn't be back at her hotel until 11 at the earliest. She had more media appearances in Connecticut than she'd anticipated. Quite a few of them were booked at the last minute. She loved all the work though. Every day she was reminded that she was living her dream.

She smiled when she saw Jacinda walking over with a bottle of grapefruit juice in one hand and her ever-present PDA in the other.

"You're doing great," Jacinda smiled, handing her the bottle.

Cory shrugged, "This is the easy part of the job."

She'd been co-hosting Confidential for months. She'd been nervous at first but now it was usually a breeze. They had to do the occasional re-take, especially when she and Gene tried to make each other laugh but for the most part, tapings always went by rather quickly.

"By the way, I mailed the Wrestlemania tickets for your family this morning," Jacinda announced.

"Family?" Cory's brow quirked and she put her juice down.

Jacinda nodded, "You're grandmother requested tickets for herself, your grandfather Stephen, Regina, Joseph, your mother-"

"My mother?" Cory stared. She tensed at the very thought of Adelle being in attendance.

"And your step-father Richard," Jacinda confirmed.

"Okay Richard is my mother's current husband, not my step-father," Cory corrected. "And _why_ the _hell_ would my grandmother request tickets for them?"

She was asking herself more than Jacinda but her assistant shrugged, "I haven't the slightest idea. But when you hired me you told me specifically to grant any requests from your grandmother without any questions asked."

Cory sighed, "I know but-"

Cory stopped talking when she noticed Jacinda looking queasy. She put a hand over her stomach and closed her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Cory asked, gently taking her arm and guiding her to a nearby chair.

Jacinda nodded but her eyes were still closed as Cory helped her sit down.

"Are you sure?" Cory asked, concerned.

Jacinda nodded, "I'm gonna have to get used to this."

Cory frowned, confused, "Why?"

Jacinda opened her eyes, taking a deep breath, "Well…I'm pregnant."

Cory's jaw dropped to the floor as she stared at the other woman, "No way."

Jacinda nodded, "I have to confirm with the doctor but..I'm pretty sure."

"Wow," Cory stared, closing her mouth. Jacinda and Glenn certainly didn't waste time. She wondered if Mark knew about this. She'd have to ask him later. "You and Glenn must be..excited."

"I think we're still shocked," Jacinda laughed. "I'm sure the excited stage is next."

"I bet," Cory laughed. "Well..do you need anything?"

"I could use some water," Jacinda smiled gratefully.

"Coming right up," Cory stood. "I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Jacinda said as Cory walked away. She pulled her phone out of her pocket quickly flipping it open. She was going to call Mark but then she remembered the ticket situation and dialed her grandmother's number instead as she made her way down to the small craft services area.

"Should I check the windows?" Jeanette answered. "The pigs must be flying, my granddaughter has actually thought to give me a call."

"Gram, this is a very busy time," Cory said. "And I call you about 10 times more than any other family member."

"That's because I'm the only one you like," she could hear Jeanette's smirk. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest I was wondering if you'd started hating me all of a sudden," Cory said.

"Now what on Earth would make you think that?"

"Tickets for Mother and Richard?" Cory asked. "Regina and Joe I'll accept because I want Joe there but..Mother and Richard?"

"Dear all you had to do was say no," Jeanette said.

"I couldn't say no, I told you that Jacinda has permission to say yes to anything you ask without consulting me and you took advantage," Cory said. "You can be such a mean old lady sometimes."

"I'm a crafty old lady," Jeanette corrected. "And yes, I took advantage of your devotion but I had good reason..This is a very important moment in your life and your mother should be there whether you pig-headed fools like it or not."

Cory knew there was no point in arguing. She sighed, "Fine."

"Stop pouting, I taught you to use that on men, not me," Jeanette joked.

"I'm sorry Gram I just..I'm dealing with enough stress right now without having to deal with your hyper critical daughter scrutinizing my every move for an entire weekend."

"I'll make sure she keeps the claws away," Jeanette promised. "Now what's this stress you're dealing with? You're not hurt again are you?"

"No," Cory shook her head. She was not about to discuss her disturbed love-life with her grandmother. It wasn't that she was embarrassed, she'd heard many a story from Jeanette's days in Hollywood that would put anything she'd ever done to shame. They shared just about everything but this was too complicated to explain and she had to get back to work soon.

"Cory, you know you can tell me anything," Jeanette reminded her.

"I know," she said, retrieving the bottle of water she'd come for. "I just don't wanna get into it right now. It's…complex."

"You're in love, huh?"

Cory stopped walking, "How did you make the leap from complex to me being in love? I am not in love."

"And you're certain of that?" Jeanette asked.

"Yes," Cory answered quickly. "Why?"

Jeanette sighed, "I can hear it in your voice."

-----------------------------------

"So I wore his _favorite_ dress, this really tight, short, red one and I did my hair just the way he likes it, you know, all that," Jessica explained.

Hunter nodded as Jessica relayed the story of her big breakup with James from the night before.

"And we went to this restaurant not far from his house, a lot of people he works with, and the few friends he has, go there all the time. So we're sitting for maybe 10 minutes when at least 6 people from his company show up. Of course I felt compelled to invite them to join us and they did. So we're sitting at this big table and I can tell he feels all big and macho because these people are meeting his hot girlfriend..Anyway, everyone's laughing and talking and then I stood up and tapped my glass and told everyone that I had a very important announcement to make. A surprise for James."

Hunter ate his vegetables, waiting for her to continue. She'd asked him to lunch to tell him about this and he was almost finished with his food and the story still wasn't over. She'd gone over almost her entire day. It wasn't that he didn't want to hear what she had to say but…sometimes when the delivery takes too long, the punch line loses it's kick.

"And they thought I was gonna say I was pregnant or something and then I did it. I announced to the entire place that he was a self centered idiot and I couldn't bear the thought of spending another day with him. Then I poured my champagne in his lap and walked out."

Hunter laughed, shaking his head, "Wow..you really know how to let a guy down easy, don't you Jess?"

"He didn't deserve to be let down easy," Jessica laughed. "And I'm quite proud of myself. I thought that was rather restrained for me."

"I guess it is," Hunter laughed. "It's better than when you were going out with Dean the photographer and dumped him during a commercial break at a Smackdown taping."

"He was a jerk," Jessica shrugged.

"I know," Hunter said. "And now so do the 20,00 people who were there that night."

Jessica shrugged, "So I can be a little dramatic with the breakups. They always deserve it."

"True," Hunter nodded. "Maybe you should stop dating jerks. Then you wouldn't have to publicly humiliate anyone."

"Who said I didn't enjoy that?" Jessica smirked and Hunter shook his head again, going back to his food.

"You know, you're right though," she sighed, resting her chin on her hand, her blue eyes looking out the window. "I do need to stop dating jerks. It's hard though. They love me so much."

"Jerks aren't the only guys who love you," Hunter assured her.

She smiled, turning her gaze back to him, "Thanks Hunter."

He shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

"So..why don't we go out tonight to celebrate my independence?"

Hunter wasn't really in the mood to go out but she seemed to be so happy he couldn't say no to his friend.

"Okay," he sighed. "Where we goin'?"

-----------------------------------

Viveca put her compact back into her purse as she walked down the hall. She read the numbers on the doors looking for 1242, Taylor's room. She planned on taking her out to lunch before she had to accompany Mark to a few media appearances. She rounded the corner and as she was passing 1238, she heard a door open down the hall. She saw a tall man with a baseball cap pulled low on his head rush out of the room, taking quick, long strides down the hall toward the staircase. Viveca's feet were rooted to the ground as she watched the man disappear beyond the staircase door. She took a few tentative steps forward, her heart beating through her chest. Her suspicions were confirmed when she realized which door he'd come out of. 1242. Viveca rushed to the door, frantically pounding, "Taylor! Taylor!"

"Viveca."

She turned when she heard a familiar voice behind her. Trish Stratus was standing in front of the door across the hall, looking confused, "Taylor's not there honey."

"She's not?" Viveca asked. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Trish nodded. "We left at the same time, I was going to the gym and she said she had some errands to run and she'd be back in a few hours. That was only an hour ago."

Relief flooded her body and she relaxed, leaning against the door.

"Are you okay?" Trish asked, looking concerned.

"I think so," Viveca nodded, pulling her phone out of her purse. "I just need to call Taylor."

-----------------------------------

John half listened as the publicist riding with him ran down the rest of what he had to do that day. He'd just finished a signing and then he had an interview with a local news show and two phone interviews. During the signing it seemed like he'd been asked 50 times what was going on with him and Cory? He wished everything between the two of them was written out in black and white backstage the way it was once the cameras were on. The angle involving them and Portia and Randy was so carefully and thoroughly planned. They all knew what was going to happen. But once they passed through that black curtain, nothing between them seemed to make sense. Cory was still flaunting Randy in his face. John kept telling himself to end things with Portia but right when he was ready to, he'd see Cory and do something stupid like he had on Monday. He knew she was upset, she could barely look at him after that. He didn't like upsetting her but what he did wasn't any different than what she was doing with Randy. Some of the fans at the signing told him how cute they thought he and Cory would be together. If only she thought the same way. Sometimes he wondered if trying to be with someone who would fight their feelings so vigorously was worth it. He considered just giving up on it because there was no point. They had no future. But then he would look at her, he would look into those big blue eyes and he was drawn right back in. He would see her smile and he knew that no matter how much he wanted to forget any feelings he had for her, he couldn't. He sighed, resting his head back and closing his eyes. He didn't know what cards to play anymore. He wanted to just grab her and kiss her and end all this childishness but..what if it didn't work? What if she still didn't give in? Then he would be making a complete fool of himself and he would have to deal with her afterward. He wasn't sure he was ready for that.

-----------------------------------

Taylor smiled, watching as the children ran around the park, laughing and playing. She'd been on her way to get something to eat when she saw it. She didn't know why she stopped. Watching children play wasn't exactly a hobby of hers but for some reason she was just drawn to it. Maybe because it was nice to see kids enjoy being kids. She'd never really gotten to do that. A young blonde girl stood at the top of the slide, obviously working up the courage to go down. She cast a glance at Taylor and unsure of what to do, Taylor gave her a thumbs up and smiled. The little girl smiled back and slid down the slide with ease into her waiting mother's arms. The mother smiled at Taylor before walking her little girl toward the swings.

Taylor sighed, leaning back against the bench, pulling her coat tighter around her. The only time she'd ever really played at parks was when her father locked her out at night. Sometimes she would wander around the neighborhood for an hour or so. She soon discovered a park a few blocks from her house. She used to pretend that it was full of children and that it was the middle of the day, usually summer, and she had lots of friends and a smiling, happy family. Then she would walk back home and back to reality. She was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of her Blackberry ringing. She picked it up quickly when she saw Viveca's name, "Hello?"

"Taylor, honey, it's Viveca, don't panic."

"Viveca, how many times have I told you that _you_ are the only one who panics when you cant find your favorite shoes?" Taylor joked. "You packed them in Jeff's suitcase."

"I did?"

"Yes," Taylor laughed, nodding.

"Good to know but that isn't why I called," Viveca said. "You need to come back to the hotel."

Taylor frowned at the urgency in her friend's tone, "Why? What's wrong?"

"I saw a stranger coming out of your room this morning," Viveca explained. "I freaked out but Trish told me you weren't there. Then I flipped again because some stranger was in your room."

"Wait..are you sure you were at the right door?" Taylor asked.

"Positive," Viveca nodded. "1242."

It was already cold out but Taylor could swear the temperature had just dropped a good 10 degrees. Someone had been in her room? Why?

"I hope you're not far," Viveca said. "I already called the manager. I told him you'd be here to talk to him in 20 minutes."

-----------------------------------

"It should be interesting of Rene and Sylvan can keep up," Adam said. He, Jason, Matt, and Jeff were all eating after a trip to the gym.

"I cant believe they're doin' a TLC without us," Jeff shook his head.

"It was gonna have to happen eventually," Jason laughed. "It cant always just be the four of us and the Dudleys."

"Besides, you're dealing with bigger issues for 'Mania," Adam laughed. "Feuding with your own brother? What would your father think?"

"That's a good question," Matt laughed. "Vince asked him to be in on the angle."

"And he said?" Jason smirked.

"No way in hell," Jeff laughed. "But he said it in a nice way."

"Of course he did," Jason laughed.

Vince had asked their father on at least 3 occasions to be involved in some sort of angle and he always said no.

Two servers brought them their food and everyone dug in as soon as they left the table.

"So," Matt said, half of his mouth full of food. "You guys..Jeff has..an announcement to make."

Adam stiffened at Matt's statement but kept eating, waiting for an explanation.

"If he's gonna tell us his brother needs to stop spitting his food all over the rest of us, we already knew that," Jason said, making a show of holding his napkin over his food.

Matt laughed, leaning over Jason's plate and Jason elbowed him until he moved away.

"What's the announcement?" Adam asked, trying his best not to sound impatient.

"There is no announcement," Jeff glared at Matt. "But there might be..soon..hopefully."

Jeff smiled, looking down at his food and Adam could feel himself gripping his fork a little tighter.

"He's gonna pop the question," Matt blurted.

Adam looked over at Jeff, "What?"

"When?" Jason asked.

Adam wanted to glare at his best friend for sounding so damn excited but he knew Matt or Jeff would notice.

"I don't know exactly when," Jeff laughed. "I bought the ring and everything I just..after everything with her dad, I wanna give her a little time before I ask her to make such a big decision."

"Like it would be that hard," Matt laughed. "Everyone knows she'd say yes."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to ask at all?" Adam asked and he quickly felt a shark kick to his shin. He didn't bother kicking Jason back, they would discuss this later.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Matt asked.

"Because..I mean..She just lost her father..she really doesn't talk to her family-"

"Actually she and her family are working things out," Jeff smiled. "We spent a lot of time with them while we were gone."

"Oh," Adam nodded. "Well.."

"I think it's a great idea," Jason smiled. "Good luck man."

"Thanks," Jeff smiled.

"Yeah," Adam tried not to choke on his words. "Good luck."

-----------------------------------

"Ms. Vogle, I assure you, the man coming out of your room was one of our maintenance men," the hotel manager explained.

"He wasn't dressed like a maintenance man," Viveca chimed in.

"We had complaints about the bathroom sink in your room for the past week and a half," the manager explained. "He didn't have a chance to fix it until today. If Ms. Bonham had taken a better look she would have seen a name tag."

"Excuse me?" Viveca stared, offended. "I took a very good look thank you and he did _not_ look like he worked for the hotel. He was in jeans, a blue jacket, and a baseball cap. Is that the uniform for your maintenance staff?"

The manager seemed to be trying to think of a response but Viveca rolled her eyes, looking over at Taylor, "Don't believe this guy. Next he'll tell us it was a maid."

"Ms. Bonham, I've already explained who you saw," he said. "He was in plain clothes because that was his first project of the day. We called him in this morning. He keeps his uniform here. We didn't know how bad the sink was so we asked him to go there right away. He changed after he left Ms. Vogle's room."

"You weren't sure how bad the sink was but you hadn't had a single complaint from Taylor about it since she checked in?" Viveca asked.

"V," Taylor put a hand over her friend's. "Relax. He seems pretty sure it was a maintenance guy and I checked my room. Nothing's missing. Calm down."

The manager looked pleased with himself and, though Taylor agreed more with Viveca than him, she just wanted the conversation to be over. He obviously wasn't accepting any responsibility for whatever happened. This was going nowhere. They'd offered her a different room in case she felt unsafe and she accepted it. She wasn't exactly sure how she felt. Why would someone break into her room? The only valuable things she owned were her Blackberry and her laptop and she had them with her. It had to be something random. Who would come after her? Outside of Detroit, no one knew who she was.

-----------------------------------

Dawn sat on her couch, finishing off a huge fruit platter she'd bought earlier in the day as she watched Smackdown. They were currently replaying what happened at the end of Raw with Evolution turning on Cory and Trish, Rob, and John coming out to save her. Dawn really loved the way the angle was being written. She could only imagine how John and Cory felt about it. She didn't want to think about the fighting that was going on backstage. She picked up her phone, flipping it open and pressing the speed dial number for Cory.

After a few rings she picked up, "Hello?"

Dawn could tell within seconds that something was wrong. Cory usually answered her phone almost annoying cheerfully. She was one of those people who practically sang the word 'Hello' that or she would say something goofy. This time she answered it sounded…not like herseelf.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked quickly.

"Nothi-"

"_Don't_ tell me nothing," Dawn cut her off. "You know better."

Cory sighed, "Did you call me to bully me?"

"I called to see how you were doing," Dawn said. "And I can already tell you're not okay. What's going on?"

"John," Cory sighed. "Of course."

"What happened now?" Dawn sighed, putting her fruit plate on the coffee table and leaning back against the cushions.

"I saw John and Portia kissing the other day and it just..I don't know, it's been bugging me," Cory said. "I know..It's stupid.."

Dawn shook her head, frustrated. Cory and John couldn't seem to stay away from each other but they just couldn't stop being so god damn stubborn.

"You're not stupid," Dawn insisted.

"Yeah I am," Cory laughed. "I'm with Randy. I shouldn't be concerned with what John does. It's none of my business. He's a grown man."

Dawn sighed, knowing that this was one of those times in their friendship where she had to tell her friend something she didn't want to hear about herself.

"You know you're a control freak, right?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Cory asked. "I am _not_."

"Yes you are," Dawn said.

"Okay _my mother_ is a control freak," Cory said with disdain. "_Regina_ is a control freak. _I_ am-"

"Trying your hardest to be in charge of who you fall for," Dawn finished her sentence. "Honey, you need to learn that you cant do that."

"That's not what I'm doing," Cory insisted.

Dawn sighed. Once Cory convinced herself of something, trying to change her mind could be like finding a needle in a haystack.

"Yes it is," Dawn rubbed her forehead. "Cory, Randy is great. Really, he is. But no matter how many times you tell yourself he is..Randy's not the one you want."

"If he's the one I choose to be with then obviously he _is_ the one I want," Cory argued.

"Are you really trying to help your case on the whole control freak thing?" Dawn laughed. "Because it's not working."

"D, there is _no_ future with John and me," Cory said. "If it was meant to happen, it would have."

"If you two are so wrong for each other then why do you sound depressed because you saw him kissing someone else?" Dawn asked.

"I am not depressed," Cory said. "You know what? Let's just talk about something else. Please."

Dawn sighed, knowing there was no point in pressing further at the moment. They would discuss it again later.

"How's my soon to be niece or nephew?" Cory asked, trying to sound cheerful.

"Fine," Dawn smiled, looking down at her stomach. "Hungry..Constantly."

"Sounds like baby's already taking after it's father," Cory said.

Dawn closed her eyes at the mention of Mark, "How is he?"

Cory sighed, "Upset..He's frustrated. He misses you so much D."

"I miss him too," Dawn sighed.

"Then why don't you just-"

"So what are you and Glenn doing for his birthday?" Dawn cut her off before she could ask what she _knew_ she was going to ask. They'd already discussed why she couldn't tell Mark and she didn't want to get into it again.

Cory paused for a few seconds and then said, "Nothing."

Dawn frowned, "Are you lying?"

"Yes," Cory admitted. "D I've been thinking and..I cant do this."

"Do what?" Dawn asked, her heart rate beginning to speed up.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone, don't freak out," Cory said. "I made a promise and no matter how much I regret it now, I'm gonna keep it."

Dawn tried not to breathe a sigh of relief but she couldn't help it.

"What I cant do is keep tabs on Mark for you," Cory said. "It's not fair."

Dawn tried to say something but Cory spoke first.

"He has no idea what's going on with you, where you are, why you're gone…He doesn't even know that he has a child on the way and it's driving him crazy…I love you D, and I don't want you to be mad but if you are, I cant help that. If you want to know what's going on with Mark from now on, maybe you should try talking to him. Keeping this secret is hard enough…I don't want to be a spy."

Dawn didn't know what to say. Cory was right. It was unfair of her to ask about Mark's every move when she wouldn't let him in on a single one of hers. And she knew that keeping this secret was hell on Cory. She couldn't be mad at her for taking some sort of stand. She had every right.

"I'm not mad," she assured her friend. "You're right."

"Right enough for you to stop this and tell him what's going on?" Cory asked.

Dawn sighed, shaking her head, "No."

-----------------------------------

_"Pack your bags sweetheart, hurry," Nancy rushed her daughter, clearing her clothes out of the closet and tossing them into ratty old suitcases. They were falling apart but they were all she had._

_"Mom, what if he comes home early?" Taylor asked, her eyes darting to the window. There was no way that Frank would let them leave if he caught them._

_"He wont," Nancy said, though her voice wavered with uncertainty. "He usually comes home late, not early. Now hurry up baby, we have to get out of here."_

_"But last time-"_

_"Taylor _forget_ about last time," Nancy said in a stern tone. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "We have to try again."_

_"But mom..." Taylor felt her bottom lip trembling and water filling her eyes. "He said..he said he would kill us if we tried to leave. Even if we get away, he'd kill us when he finds us.."_

_"Then we'll go where he cant find us," Nancy said. "We have to try."_

_Taylor looked up at her mother, her heart beating through her chest. Nancy's hair was wet from going outside and loading things into the car. She had a dark bruise surrounding her right eye and her neck was bruised too. Two nights earlier, Frank had choked her up against the wall. She knew her mother was right. They had to go. They had to get away from him._

_"Do you really think there's someplace where he wont find us?" Taylor asked._

_"Taylor..I will not let him hurt you anymore," Nancy pulled her into a hug. "I promise. This has to stop."_

_Taylor rested her head against her mother's chest, shutting her eyes tightly and praying. She never prayed anymore because she figured if there was a God, he obviously didn't feel the need to look out for her. But this time seemed like as good a time as any to beg someone, anyone, to help them find a way out._

_They were startled out of their silence when a loud noise sounded throughout the house. It was distinctly different than the claps of thunder they'd been hearing all day. This was the sound of a door slamming._

_"Nancy!" Frank's voice boomed, ten times more frightening than the storm raging outside. Taylor could feel her mother shaking. Or maybe it was her. Or both of them. "Taylor!"_

_"What are we gonna do?" Taylor whispered, tightly gripping her mother's sleeves, cold fear creeping up the back of her neck. "He had to see the car. What are we gonna do?"_

_They heard his loud footsteps bounding up the stairs and Nancy took a deep breath, gripping Taylor's shoulders again, "Get in the bathroom."_

_"What?"_

_"Taylor, just do as I say," Nancy insisted. "Get in the bathroom. Lock the door. Do _not_ come out until _I_ come to get you. Understand?"_

_"But-"_

_"Don't come out until I come get you."_

Taylor gasped as she sat up, looking around the darkened room. She was breathing heavily and she could feel cold sweat on her forehead. She put a hand over her chest, blinking as she looked around the room. She was in her hotel room. She'd fallen asleep on the couch. Her laptop was open on the coffee table, her Blackberry resting beside it. Her head was spinning from the dream she'd just had. It wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. One she'd never had before. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead against them and closing her eyes. That had to be part of it. That had to be from the night her father died. If only she could remember more.

-----------------------------------


	46. Chapter 46

**Ah, my peeps, I've missed you. First off, thanks for the reviews, they are greatly appreciated. I was waiting to post this until Ch. 47 was done as well but I'm a little stuck on one part of that one, it's almost done. I was hoping to give you two chapters at a time from now on but..for now I figured something was better than nothing so..here ya go. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 46...**

_Monday_

Cory's eyes fluttered open and she squinted against the intrusive light. She could swear she fell asleep with the curtains drawn. It didn't take her long to figure out why she was being bombarded with sunlight. She could hear someone pulling the other curtains open and she pulled a pillow over her face, biting her lip to keep from saying the first thing that came to mind. She didn't have to look to know it was Jacinda. She hadn't realized when she hired an assistant that she was hiring someone to completely run her life. She liked Jacinda and she was great at her job but sometimes she could be a little overbearing. Like when she decided to wake Cory up by blinding her with the Sun.

Cory felt the pillow being pulled away from her face and she reluctantly let it go.

"It's time to get up," Jacinda informed her, pulling her covers off.

"I figured that," she grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She'd slept in a horribly awkward position and her back was killing her. It didn't help that her shoulder was still sore too.

"We need to be at the airport in an hour," Jacinda said, pulling jeans out of Cory's bag and draping them over a chair. "You cant miss your flight, the next one wouldn't get you to Texas until after the show starts."

Cory got up, a yawn escaping her.

"Come on, you got enough sleep," Jacinda said. "Take a shower. We'll get coffee on the way."

Cory walked to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her before Jacinda could tell her again why they needed to get going. She pulled the t-shirt she slept in off and dropped it on the floor beside her, turning on the water in the shower. She ran a hand through her matted hair, looking at herself in the mirror as she waited for the water to warm up. Truthfully, she hadn't had 'enough sleep' as Jacinda put it. She looked like hell. Her hair was a tangled mess and her roots needed to be dyed. She'd fallen asleep with her makeup on and it was smeared all over her face. She had dark circles under her eyes but they weren't going to wash off with everything else. They were from days without sleep. She'd only gotten a few hours before Jacinda woke her up and before that..she hadn't been sleeping much at all. Between all of this confusion with John and Randy, constant Wrestlemania promotion, and Dawn and Mark…she was past due for a breakdown. The situation with her best friends was by far the most distressing. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this secret from Mark. It pained her every day to have to hide something from him. She had to figure out some way to convince Dawn to tell him the truth before she lost her mind. And in the meantime, she needed to make sure this birthday party was perfect.

-----------------------------------

_"Taylor, just do as I say," Nancy insisted. "Get in the bathroom. Lock the door. Do _not_ come out until _I_ come to get you. Understand?….Don't come out until I come get you."_

Taylor kept replaying the dream in her mind over and over again. It was all she'd been able to think about since she woke up. She wasn't sure if it was real or if she'd just made it up. Maybe all this talk about that night had finally drawn something out of her subconscious. Or maybe she was just growing so desperate for _something_ that she conjured up a false memory. She ran her hands through her hair trying to decide what to do. She thought about calling Viveca but decided against it. Viveca meant well but if Taylor told her, she would probably start pushing her to remember more and if there was anything Taylor was sure of, it was that she couldn't just make it happen. It had taken years to get this much and she wasn't even sure if she should believe it. She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them and closing her eyes, picturing herself and her mother in her bedroom. She could hear her father's voice so clearly, his footsteps on the stairs, she could even hear his hand smack down on the railing.

She got up, walking over to her bag to get her journal. She needed to write this down. It was all clear now and she wanted to make sure she wrote down every detail. She unzipped the compartment where she usually kept it but, to her surprise, it wasn't there. She frowned, rifling through her clothes. Maybe she'd mixed it in with them. Before she knew it, she'd pulled everything out of her large suitcase and still couldn't find it. This didn't make sense. She always packed it in the same place. She shook her head, trying to remain calm as she walked over to her carry on bag. She never put it there but that was the only other place that it could be.

"Come on, come on, come on," she mumbled to herself as she tore through the bag. Her heart started beating faster as she got closer to the bottom. She pulled every last thing out of it and still no journal. She ran a hand through her hair, taking a deep breath. She needed to be calm and just think clearly. She had to have it with her. She never took it to arenas with her so she couldn't have left it in one. She was very careful about where she put her journal. She wrote everything in it. Every thing she thought about, her dreams, memories, letters to her mother that she never sent, even a letter she'd been writing to her father. There were drawings, some that didn't even make sense to her, just things that came out when she was upset or tired. She had to find it. It wasn't exactly something she wanted anyone else to see. She didn't need everyone she worked with knowing exactly how messed up she was. She picked up her laptop bag and unzipped it, pulling her computer out and setting it down on the couch next to her. She looked through every part of that bag and it wasn't there either.

"Where the hell is it?" she looked around her room. She hadn't unpacked it since they got to Fort Worth. Where could it…

Taylor put a hand over her mouth, closing her eyes. The last time she saw her journal was the morning that Viveca saw the maintenance man coming out of her room. The man that the hotel assured her was one of their employees. She felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach as she looked around her room. She wasn't going to find it. It was gone.

She didn't have much more time to think about it when someone knocked on her door. She stood still for a few seconds, unable to move. Why would a stranger want her journal? Why wouldn't he have taken anything else.

"Taylor, it's me."

Taylor shook her head when she heard Viveca's voice. There had to be some logical explanation. It just didn't make sense for someone to come into her room and take her journal and nothing else. She needed to just stop thinking about it and she would find it.

"I'm coming," she called to her boss, grabbing a pair of jeans from the floor and taking off her pajama pants, stepping into the jeans and zipping them as she got to the door. She needed to turn her attention to the task at hand. She had to get Viveca to an autograph signing. And on the way she needed to get to work on the favor that Jeff asked of her. She opened the door, smiling, "Good morning."

"What's wrong? You look flushed," Viveca walked into the room. "Jesus, it looks like a tornado came through here."

"It did, didn't you feel that?" Taylor smirked.

Viveca frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Taylor nodded, picking up a shirt and her brush. "Have a seat, don't mind the mess, I'll be ready to go in two seconds."

-----------------------------------

"I just cant picture them getting married," Adam shook his head as he and Matt walked into the arena.

"You don't spend enough time around 'em then," Matt laughed, hefting his gym bag up onto his shoulder. Adam just couldn't seem to get over the idea of Jeff proposing to Viveca and it was getting a little irritating. "They finish each other's sentences man. I'd hate them if he weren't family and she wasn't my friend."

"You really think she'd say yes?" Adam asked.

"Jeff said they talked about it a few times," Matt answered. "V isn't exactly the type to bring it up if she's not at least considering it."

"That's true," Adam nodded, looking frustrated.

Matt frowned, looking over at his friend. Adam wasn't even doing a good job of acting like he was happy for Jeff and Viveca. Matt knew his friend had a thing for Viveca a while ago but he'd gone out of his way to tell everyone that he was over it once she started dating Jeff. Obviously that wasn't true and it was starting to piss Matt off. His brother was happy and he didn't need Adam trying to mess it up.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Adam asked.

Matt flashed an easy smile, not wanting Adam to know how annoyed he really was. As long as Adam kept his hands to himself there wouldn't be a problem. But if he tried to ruin Jeff and Viveca's relationship…he was going to have Matt to deal with.

-----------------------------------

John got out of his rental, lifting his bag up onto his shoulder and pushing his keys into his pocket. He stopped when he saw Cory and Jacinda getting out of a black car in the next aisle. Cory looked tired. She had sunglasses on but he could just tell by the way she moved. She wasn't herself. He was about to go over and talk to her but Jacinda saw him and stopped Cory before she turned in his direction. She said something to Cory, pointing in the direction of the fans who were waiting in hopes of getting an autograph or two. Jacinda handed Cory her bag and gently pushed her toward the fans. Cory walked over, waving at them.

What the hell was that about?

John frowned, trying to figure out whether or not Jacinda turned Cory away because of him. There was just something off about that woman. He didn't get why she seemed to have a problem with him. He sighed when he realized she was walking toward him. She hugged her khaki colored coat tight around her as a cold wind gushed between them, tossing her perfectly styled hair about. She stopped in front of him and he gave her a big fake smile, "Jacinda..good to see you."

She smiled right back at him, "Always a pleasure John."

"You know, I'd love to chat but I'm gonna go help Cory out with the autographs," John nodded toward her boss. He tried to step around her but she stepped in front of him, plastic smile still frozen on her face.

"Listen John, I think you and I should have a quick talk," she said.

He sighed, knowing that she was just gonna keep jumping in front of him if he tried to walk away, "What kind of talk?"

"Well," she smiled, looking him in the eye. "I'm going to be very honest with you John. I think it's best that you and Cory have as little interaction as possible outside of work."

John stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. She really didn't seem to get that he and Cory's 'interaction' was none of her business.

"As Cory's personal assistant, it's my job to make sure that she's always on track and, well, you tend to be a distraction."

John smiled a little at that. Cory must have been talking about him a lot.

"I'm not trying to stroke your ego John," Jacinda seemed to read his mind. "I'm saying this because right now Cory doesn't need to deal with you and your drama. She's seeing Randy now. She's obviously found someone better suited to her. You really should just..back off."

Her dismissive tone grated at his nerves and he reminded himself that she was a woman. A nosy, rude, condescending one, but still a woman.

"Listen, _Jacinda_," he tried his best to sound respectful. "I don't meddle in your business with Glenn and I'm pretty sure that Cory doesn't either. And considering the way she hates to be bossed around or babied, I'm pretty sure she would appreciate it if you mind your business here. I know I would."

Her eyes narrowed just enough to show him that she didn't like what he said but she kept that little grin on her face.

"Well _John_, the difference between the two relationships is this..Glenn is a responsible, mature _man_," she said. She was trying to keep up her cool attitude but her face was getting red. "And _you_ are a little boy who likes to play _stupid_ little games."

John laughed a little at her assessment. That really seemed to piss her off. She got closer to him, glaring right through him.

"How many times have you screwed with a woman, toyed with their head the way you're doing to her right now?" she asked angrily.

John was taken aback by the hostility in her tone and the look in her eyes. He took a step back, putting his hands up, "What is your problem?"

"You need to grow up," she glared at him again before turning and walking away.

John stared after her, "What the fuck?"

-----------------------------------

Glenn slowed his pace through the backstage area when he saw Mark talking to Hunter. He knew that he needed to talk to his best friend. They hadn't spoken since Glenn blew up at him. The remark he made was way out of line and he knew it the second he said it but at the time he'd been too stupid to apologize. He figured a late apology was better than none though. Mark was like a brother to him, he needed to suck it up and say sorry.

He walked over, standing to Mark's side, "Hunter you mind if I talk to him for a minute?"

Hunter shrugged, "Yeah, we're pretty much done, right Mark?"

Mark nodded and Hunter turned and walked away.

Glenn stood in front of his best friend, looking down at his feet.

"You wanted to talk?" Mark asked.

"Actually I wanted to apologize," Glenn clarified.

"For what?" Mark asked.

"For what I said," Glenn explained. "Mark, I was just in shock. I mean, Jacinda being pregnant..I wasn't expecting that. I know you were just trying to help and I acted like an asshole. I'm sorry. I just wanna be sure everything is okay here."

Mark shook his head, extending his hand, "You know we're always good. Just watch your mouth next time."

Glenn laughed, shaking his friend's hand and giving him a half hug, "I'll remember that."

"Good," Mark laughed.

Glenn breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way he was going to get through the stress of what he was getting into with Jacinda without the support of his best friend.

"I'm glad we got that taken care of," Glenn smirked. "We couldn't be in a fight on your birthday."

Mark made a face at the mention of his birthday, "I almost forgot that was coming."

"Oh come on," Glenn rolled his eyes.

Mark shrugged, "You know I've never been that concerned with it..I'm glad it comes 'cause I've lived another year but…I don't know..I'm not exactly excited about it."

"You need to be," Glenn nudged him. "Your birthday is a big deal to some of us around here."

Mark laughed, patting him on the shoulder, "You and Cory just don't work yourselves too hard planning this party, okay?"

Glenn stared for a second. How did Mark know about the party?

He quickly tried to play it off, "What party? What are you talking about?"

Mark smiled, shaking his head, "I'll see you later man."

-----------------------------------

**RAW**

The show began with the image of Randy Orton standing outside of the Evolution locker room smiling mischievously as he counted a stack of money. Portia Kelly was standing beside him looking thoroughly amused.

"What's going on here?" JR asked.

The door opened and the Dudleys walked out, high fiving each other and laughing.

"Did you see how she lifted her leg up over her head?" Bubba asked.

"I'm impressed," D-von laughed. "I had no idea she was _that_ talented."

"What are they talking about?" JR asked.

"Gentlemen," Randy smiled. "I take it you enjoyed the show."

"Very much," D-Von nodded.

"Well worth the money," Bubba shook Randy's hand.

"Only the best from Evolution," Randy smirked as they walked away.

"What is going on in there?" JR asked.

"I don't know but I think I wanna go check it out," King laughed.

Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin walked up to the smiling couple.

"Randy, I heard you're showing a tape of you and Cory ha-"

"This is the place," Randy cut him off.

"What?" King exclaimed. "A tape? With _Cory_?"

"I hope they're not talking about what I think they are," JR said.

"I hope they are!" King laughed.

"Just 50 dollars and you can see it all," Randy smiled.

"50 bucks?" Charlie stared.

"Trust me," Randy smiled. "This is worth it."

-----------------------------------

"So William is dating this new girl now," Lianna sighed.

"And?" Viveca pressed the phone to her ear with her shoulder, waiting for her sister's opinion. She knew it was coming.

"She's cute," Lianna said. "Nothing but airspace between her ears but..she's cute."

"Sounds like his type," Viveca laughed. Her brother had never been one for substance. Each girl was prettier than the last but it seemed that they got dumber and dumber.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Lianna asked.

"I haven't figured that out yet," Viveca laughed, looking for the right locker room. She was trying to find Jeff. "I wonder if I know anyone I can set him up with."

"I've tried," Lianna sighed. "It never works."

Viveca shook her head, stopping when she heard Matt's laugh. She knew Jeff was probably with him so she opened the door she was standing closest to. The second the door opened, the room went silent and Matt, Jeff, and Taylor froze, staring at her. They recovered relatively quickly though. Taylor picked up her laptop and started typing while Matt and Jeff just smiled at her.

"Li…I'll call you back," she said, closing her phone and slipping it into her pocket. "Guys…what's going on?"

"Nothing," Jeff answered quickly.

"Why do you ask?" Matt inquired.

"Because you all shut up when I came in," she said, eyeing them suspiciously.

"You were on the phone," Taylor looked up from her computer.

"Yeah," Jeff nodded. "We were just trying to be courteous."

"We were just..you know..being good friends and all," Matt smiled.

Viveca looked at each of them, wondering what the hell was going on. They all had their moments but they didn't usually act so weird as a group.

"What are you three up to?"

"Who?" Taylor looked around.

"Us?" Matt laughed.

"We're not up to anything," Jeff shook his head.

"I need to go find Mark," Taylor picked up her computer. "I need to show him..something."

Taylor breezed out of the room before Viveca could object.

Jeff looked at the clock on the wall and then snapped his fingers, "I was supposed to call my dad like 15 minutes ago. I'll be right back babe."

He walked over, kissing her quickly on the forehead before leaving the room.

Viveca crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Matt. He shifted anxiously and then stood up, "I'm gonna go help Taylor."

"Help her find Mark?" Viveca asked.

"Yup," he walked toward the door. "You know how elusive he can be when he wants to."

Viveca stared out the doorway as Matt rushed off. What the hell were they hiding?

-----------------------------------

**RAW**

After Triple H finished talking and started making his way to the back, Cory Flair was seen making her way into the arena through one of the back doors.

"Uh oh," King said as she walked, looking down at the floor.

"That poor woman," JR said.

"You didn't used to like her JR," King reminded his counterpart.

"That was a long time ago," JR said. "She came back here a changed woman and the people she trusted betrayed her because of it. It's not right."

This was Cory's first appearance since Evolution turned on her. She was still in too much pain to appear on Smackdown the week before. As she walked, she passed the Dudleys who started clapping and whistling. She stared at them, obviously confused, but continued walking, shaking her head. She quickly made her way into the women's locker room and dropped her bag. Trish Stratus walked up to her, looking concerned.

"Trish, do you have any idea why the Dudley Boys just applauded me in the hallway?" Cory asked, annoyed.

Trish looked apprehensive but she sat down on a bench, "Cory did you and Randy ever make a tape of you two…you know…."

"What?" Cory seemed surprised by the question. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because Randy has been charging the guys 50 dollars each to watch you two doing...whatever it is you were doing."

Cory's face reddened and she looked disgusted and angry. Trish tried to say something comforting but before she could, Cory stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

-----------------------------------

Savannah rested her chin on her hand, her other hand on the mouse, clicking away. She smiled as she sent her confirmation to the printer. She'd never been so excited to purchase something like a plane ticket. This wasn't just any ticket though. This was the ticket that would set her entire plan in motion. Once she reached her destination, lives would be changed.

The greatest part was that he had no idea. He'd told her once that she was almost too unpredictable. Truer words were never spoken. He had no idea what she was capable of. But soon...very soon..he would find out.

-----------------------------------

RAW

"Bischoff!" Cory Flair burst into the General Manager's office.

"Well, well, well," Eric smiled, leaning back in his chair. "Hello Cory."

"Are you aware that Randy turned our _private_ tape into a god damn pay-per-view?" she asked angrily.

Eric nodded, "I've seen the tape. Film making at it's best. Really, you should be proud."

Cory stared in disgust, "Wow…I was pissed because you were letting it happen. I cant believe you actually watched it too. Sicko."

"Oh come on," Eric laughed, standing up and walking around his desk to get closer to her. "Can you blame me? Look at you."

"Go to hell," she glared.

"Now Cory..if you knew the favor I did for you, you wouldn't be calling me names," he smirked.

"What _favor_?" she asked, anger and disdain dripping from her words.

"Well..since I know now that you like it.._rough_," Eric smiled and she looked away. "Tonight, I made a match for you. A match where you can exact your revenge on Evolution. Tonight Cory, it'll be you, taking on Portia Kelly and Randy Orton…and I'm giving you _one_ _hour_ to find a partner."

Her expression was hard to read and she didn't say anything.

Eric walked back to his chair, still smiling, "Oh and if you cant find a partner..you'll be taking them on alone."

-----------------------------------

Randy walked into the locker room after getting changed into his gear and frowned when whatever conversation was going on seemed to stop when Adam and Dave saw him. He walked further into the room and it was obvious that Adam was stifling laughter.

"What the hell is so funny?" Randy asked.

"Don't get all testy," Dave laughed. "We were just talking about you a little."

"Oh yeah?" Randy asked. "What were you talking about?"

"Well," Dave sighed, sitting down. "Honestly Randy, Adam and I are a little concerned."

"What?" Randy made a face. "About what?"

"About the fact that you've been spending every day with Cory for a little while now and..well, to put it plainly, you haven't nailed her yet."

Adam couldn't hold his laughter anymore and finally let it out, stopping when Randy glared at him, "What makes you think I haven't?"

"It's pretty obvious," Dave said.

"Is it because John got there first?" Adam asked.

"You know what, who I sleep with is none of your business," Randy got up, pulling a t-shirt out of his bag. He was not in the mood to have this conversation with them. He was confused enough about his relationship with Cory. He didn't need his friends being jackasses.

"Usually you make it everyone's business," Adam pointed out. "That's kinda how we know you haven't done it."

Randy rolled his eyes but he knew Adam was right. Usually he couldn't shut up about his conquests. It was just one of his things.

"Look, me and Cory-"

"You and Cory what?"

Randy froze when he heard Mark's voice behind him. He glared at Dave for not warning him and Dave shrugged. Mark must have just come in. Randy prayed he didn't hear the rest of the conversation. Dave got up and walked out of the room, Adam followed.

"You and Cory _what_?" Mark asked, walking over and standing directly in front of Randy.

Randy wasn't easily intimidated but at that moment he felt like a 16 year old in his prom date's living room and Mark was the crazy father with a loaded shotgun.

"Me and Cory..are sharing a car..tonight..you know..to save rental fees," Randy choked out.

Mark looked suspicious and Randy couldn't blame him. He was stammering like an idiot.

Mark backed up a few steps and picked up his gloves, his eyes still boring into Randy.

"Watch yourself Orton," he said simply before walking out of the room.

Randy released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding once Mark was finally gone. He sat down resting his elbows on his knees. Adam and Dave were right. Usually after a few dates, he'd seen every part of a woman and that hadn't happened yet with Cory. Was he losing his touch? He shook his head, now he was just being stupid. Randy Orton didn't lose his touch. He stood up, pulling on his t-shirt. The guys were right, he wasn't himself. Tonight, he was going to see where this relationship was really going.

-----------------------------------

John leaned against the doorway to the room they were about to start shooting in. Cory was looking down at her phone, typing away. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a very low cut black t-shirt with puffed lace sleeves and jeans. Her dark hair was straighter than usual and she was wearing very little makeup. She sat down on the couch, setting her phone beside her and resting her elbow on her knee, chin in her hand. She was staring off into space and he could see in her eyes that something was wrong. She was a person whose emotions played all over her face. She always stuck her top lip out more than her bottom when something was bothering her. He didn't know what it was but he'd sensed it for a while. Something just..wasn't right. His confrontation with Jacinda briefly crossed his mind but he shook it off. Her opinion really didn't mean much. Cory was important and he wanted to see if he could help.

"Hey," he made his presence known, stepping into the room.

She looked startled for a second and sat up straighter, "Hi."

"You okay?"

"Of course," she smiled brightly. She was trying to be convincing but something about her smile was off. It was a little too wide. When she smiled genuinely, the left ride side of her mouth always fell first, turning her smile into more of an open mouthed smirk.

_Why the hell do I know that?_

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Because-"

He was cut off when a camera man came into the room. Cory looked like she'd just gotten a get out of jail free card as John was ushered out of the room

-----------------------------------

RAW

"Do you think she found a partner yet?" King asked as the camera showed Cory pacing back and forth in the locker room. She was chewing on her thumbnail looking troubled.

"Does she look like she found a partner?" JR asked.

She looked up when the door opened and the crowd cheered wildly when John Cena walked into the room. Cory didn't seem quite as thrilled. She immediately looked defensive, placing her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed.

John was about to speak but Cory quickly cut him off.

"Let me guess," she met him with a tense smile. "You saw the tape and now you wanna know how I can move like that or where I learned to do this or if I'll give you a demonstration..Well let me fill you in..I'm flexible, it's not that big of a deal and _no_ I will not show you just _how_ flexible, so don't even try. Anything else?"

"She's a little testy, isn't she?" King laughed.

John laughed a little, rubbing a hand on his chin before responding, "Yeah..just one thing."

John pulled something out of his pocket and Cory stared, confused, when he handed her a tape.

"What's this?" she furrowed her brow.

"Your tape," John explained. "I got it out of the Evolution locker room. I figured you'd want it back."

"At least somebody around here has a conscience," JR said.

"I wonder if he made any copies," King laughed.

Cory seemed shocked and looked a little guilty for her tirade, "W-why?"

"Look..I never liked you, we both know that," John said. "But I like Orton even less and..what he did to you last week was wrong."

She looked appreciative and sighed deeply, "I'm really sorry…I guess I was a little bitchy just now."

"Yeah, pretty much," John agreed with her and she winced. "Good luck tonight."

-----------------------------------

When the camera man walked out, Cory tried to follow him out of the room but John reached out, catching her wrist, "Hey..wait up."

"Did you need something?" Cory asked, once again looking too cheerful.

"Are you okay?" he asked, lightly running his thumb over her wrist.

She briefly looked effected, her eyes darting down to his thumb and then back up at him, "I'm fine John. Why?"

"You don't seem fine," he said, stepping closer to her.

Her cheeks flushed a little and she laughed, "You know..my mom's gonna be visiting soon..that tends to make me quiver in fear. A few more days and you'll find me rocking back and forth in a corner somewhere sweating like a pig and pulling my hair out."

She tried to walk away but he kept his grip on her wrist, trying to get her to meet his gaze. She looked around nervously and he moved his hand down to hold hers, "Look…if you need to talk about whatever's really going on…I'm here. I'm probably a better listener than you think."

She looked down and then back up at him, taking a deep breath and rubbing her forehead with her free hand.

"I mean it," he looked into her eyes.

"I can tell," she smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Cory?"

John rolled his eyes when he heard Randy's voice in the hallway.

"Yeah?" she turned around but to John's surprise, she didn't pull her hand away from his.

"Hey," Randy came into view in the doorway. "I was looking for you."

"You were?" she finally slid her hand away from John's, sliding her hands into her pockets.

"Yeah," Randy's arm snaked around her waist and he started leading her toward the door. John tuned out the rest of what they were saying, walking over and sitting on the couch. He rested his hands on his knees, wondering how much more of this he could take. He hated to admit it even to himself but..he was starting to fall in love with her. And he had to watch her walk away with his friend. He stood up, running a hand over his hair. One part of Jacinda's rant was true, he'd been playing games but he couldn't do that anymore. He needed to talk to Portia tonight and set everything straight. And after that…he needed to have a talk with Cory.

-----------------------------------

"Hey," Jessica smiled, walking up to Hunter. "You get your invitation for Mark's birthday party?"

"I did," Hunter nodded, taking the cap off of a bottle of water. "And I don't think we're supposed to be talking about it when he can walk by and hear us."

"He wont hear anything," she said, taking the water from him and drinking from it.

Hunter blinked to keep from rolling his eyes. He knew that he and Jessica were supposed to be comfortable with each other and close enough to share everything but sometimes it would have been nice if she asked.

She looked up at him, seemingly waiting for him to say something and Hunter felt awkward. He hated feeling so strange around her but he couldn't help it. He didn't know how to act. He'd spent so much time trailing after her like a puppy, he didn't know what to do now when that urge wasn't as strong. His feelings weren't making sense. Sometimes he still wanted to be around her and he still felt the remnants of that flutter in his gut when he saw her but most of the time..he didn't. After a few more seconds in uncomfortable silence, Hunter ran a hand through his hair, "You know..I gotta get changed. I'll uh…I'll see you later."

"Okay," she shrugged, looking a little confused.

Hunter turned to walk away, leaving her with his water bottle.

"Hunter?"

"Yeah?" he stopped, turning around.

"You're my ride back to the hotel. I came with Trish and she left early," Jessica smiled, then gave him a quick wink before walking away.

Hunter shrugged, watching her leave. Once again, she wasn't asking, she was telling him.

He turned, walking toward the locker rooms, "See you later."

-----------------------------------

RAW

Randy Orton and Portia Kelly waited in the ring, both of them smiling as they waited for their match to begin.

"They're just lovin' this," JR said disdainfully as Randy whispered something in Portia's ear, his arm around her shoulders. She smiled, laughing and turning to kiss him.

The crowd's booing turned to cheers when Cory's music began and she walked out onto the stage looking somewhat apprehensive. She had a microphone in her hand as she made her way down the ramp.

"You think she found a partner JR?" King asked.

"She doesn't look like it," JR said.

She made it almost all the way down the ramp and then stopped, running her hand through her hair as her music stopped. She raised the microphone to her lips when the crowd noise died down, "I know you're all wondering who my partner is gonna be tonight..but the truth is..thanks to my association with _him_ and the rest of Evolution…I don't have many friends back here. So…I don't have a par-"

She was cut off by John Cena's music.

The crowd erupted as John came out onto the stage.

"What's Cena doing out here?" King asked.

"He's doing the right thing," JR said as John walked by Cory. She stood there, her face a mixture of confusion, surprise, and relief.

Randy and Portia were none too pleased. Randy argued with the referee who seemed to be explaining to him that there wasn't anything he could do. John got into the ring and Cory finally moved, walking up the stairs and getting into the ring. John said something in her ear and she nodded, climbing through the ropes and taking her place on the corner.

John took off his hat and t-shirt and the ref signaled for the bell.

_5 Minutes Later…_

John was dominating the match but Randy managed to poke him in the eye, causing him to stumble back. Randy walked to his corner, tagging Portia in. John, having recovered from the thumb to the eye, smiled, reaching out and tagging Cory in.

"She's been waiting for this all night," JR said as Cory jumped into the ring, more than ready to face off against her longtime foe.

She ran right at Portia, taking her down. She straddled the other woman, raining rights and lefts down on her face and chest. Cory was so vicious that the referee finally had to grab her around the waist and pull her away from the other woman.

Portia got up slowly and Cory ran at her again, grabbing her arm and roughly whipping her toward the ropes. Portia managed to reverse the move and Randy raised his knee, catching Cory in the back when she hit the ropes. She fell to the canvas and Portia immediately capitalized, kicking Cory in the small of her back. Cory cried out in pain and tried to crawl away but Portia kicked her in the back again. She grabbed Cory's hair and put her foot on Cory's back, pulling hard on her hair. As Cory's back arched, she cried out again, scratching at Portia's hands. After a few seconds, Portia let her go.

"Cory needs the tag pretty bad," King said as Cory used the ropes to pull herself up. She stumbled away from the ropes and Portia ran at her again. Cory surprised her though, somehow managing to catch her and execute a quick neckbreaker. She and Portia got up at almost the same time and Cory got to her corner, tagging John before Portia could get to her. Cory rolled out onto the floor and John got into the ring, smiling as a panicked look crossed Portia's face.

"This oughta be good," JR laughed. "I'm sure Cena hasn't forgotten how Portia turned on him when she decided to join Evolution."

Portia frantically ran to her corner, tagging Randy.

The men faced off again and Randy eventually gained the upper hand. Cory stood on the corner, slapping the turnbuckle, cheering her partner on. Randy took John down with a dropkick and got up quickly, standing in front of Cory and posing.

"Oh come on," JR said.

"He's just showing her what she's missing," King said.

She stood on the bottom rope and swung, trying to slap him. He angrily grabbed her hair and pulled her up so that she was standing on the second rope.

"Let go of her!" JR yelled.

He tried to pull her into the ring but John got up and lunged at him, forcing him to let go of her. The men took the action back to the middle of the ring and soon Randy had John in a headlock. Cory cheered him on once again and John elbowed the Legend Killer in the midsection, flipping him over. When Randy got back to his feet, he received a spine buster for his troubles. The crowed popped when John gave Randy the five knuckle shuffle. He got up but instead of capitalizing on his advantage, he smiled, looking to his corner.

The crowd cheered as Cory reached out for the tag and he slapped her hand. She started climbing up onto the turnbuckle but neither John nor Cory realized that Portia had the referee distracted and Batista and Ric Flair were on their way down to the ring. Batista slid into the ring and clotheslined John over the top rope while Ric came up the stairs, pushing Cory off the top rope before she realized he was there. She flipped over, landing on her back and writhing in pain as John and Batista traded blows on the floor outside the ring. Ric pulled her up and started yelling at her. She yelled back and tried to slap him but he caught her wrist and slapped her back. The blow turned her around and she stepped right into an RKO.

"Oh my God!" JR exclaimed as Cory lay motionless on the canvas. Portia finally let the referee go and he turned around just in time to see Randy cover his ex.

John fought Batista off but he was a second too late, getting into the ring just after the referee counted the fall. Randy got out of the ring quickly, walking over to the timekeeper and snatching his Intercontinental Championship. He joined Portia, Ric, and Batista on the ramp, all of them smiling at their victory.

"Can you imagine how this would have turned out if Cena hadn't come out here?" JR asked as John knelt beside Cory in the ring as the show went to commercial.

-----------------------------------


	47. Chapter 47

**Here you are peeps, the next installment in our lovely adventure. I'll get to work on chapter 48 asap but for now, enjoy this chapter. Things are coming to a head if you will, let me know what you think, i love reading everyone's theories on where the story is going. Read, Enjoy, and Review!!**

**Chapter 47...**

Cory blinked against the rain, signing another magazine with the black Sharpie one of the fans had given her. She looked over at John, laughing when she saw him making a funny face for a fan who was taking a picture while signing an autograph for another. They had started at opposite ends of the crowd and were getting closer and closer to each other. Cory was freezing her ass off and she could see everyone's breath but she figured if the fans were willing to stand outside in freezing rain to see them, she could at least sign some autographs and take some pictures.

"Hey," John smiled at her when they finally met at the middle of the crowd.

"Hi," she smiled at him, blinking when she saw a camera flash.

"Fancy meeting you here," he smirked.

She shook her head, signing another picture.

"Where's the Legend Killer?" he asked.

"In the car," Cory answered, smiling for another picture. "He said it's too cold out."

"It's not that cold," John said. "Do you guys think it's too cold out here?"

Most of the group shouted 'No!'

"Damn right," John laughed, taking off his hat and placing it on the head of a younger fan near the front of the crowd.

"Can you guys take a picture together?" one of the fans asked.

"That's up to the lady," John smiled. "I'd love to."

Cory shrugged, "Why not?"

John put his arm around her and they both smiled while a few of the fans took pictures.

Cory looked up when she heard yelling and saw some people pushing each other. The fight grew and soon someone's arm swung, nearly catching Cory in the face.

John must have seen it because he took her hand and pulled her away from the commotion, standing in front of her, "Hey, hey, hold up. We're not gonna have any of that tonight, okay? There's plenty of cops waitin' over there, you want them to come over here, you keep it up."

Someone started a 'You Suck' chant, directing it at the brawling fans who stopped relatively quickly and made their exit.

"You okay?" John turned.

Cory nodded, smiling, "I'm good. Thanks."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, they just bumped me a little, nobody hit me," Cory assured him. "Thank you."

"No problem," he winked at her, then they both went back to signing the autographs as some of the crowd who'd gotten their fill began to clear out.

Cory tried to focus on what she was doing but she couldn't help looking over at John. She was touched by the way he protected her, and with how concerned he was for her earlier. She really wanted to be angry with him but sometimes he really was a good guy.

-----------------------------------

Portia wrapped her coat tighter around her with her free hand. Her other was tightly gripping her umbrella as she walked out into the parking lot. She'd waited just inside the back door for a while, occasionally peeking out to see if John and Cory were done signing autographs but she wasn't about to come out and join them. They were both nuts. What little rain did get on her felt like drops of ice. She didn't want to come outside but John didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon and they rode together. She figured that maybe coming outside would remind him that they needed to get going. It didn't seem to be working yet. He hadn't even noticed that she was there. She looked around, debating going back inside when a red rental caught her eye. It was Randy's. He was sitting in the driver's seat, leaning his head back. He looked like he could use some company and she could use the car's heat. She walked over quickly, closing up her umbrella and opening the door, sliding into the passenger seat.

He looked surprised but relaxed when he saw her, "Hey Portia."

"You shouldn't be sitting with the doors open with fans out there," Portia smiled. "You could get hurt."

"I think those two are handling the mob," Randy looked out the window at Cory and John. "I'm not worried about anybody coming over here.

"I don't get it," Portia shook her head. "There is nothing fun about standing outside in cold rain and signing pictures of yourself."

"I hope you're not expecting me to explain it to you," Randy smirked. "I don't get it either."

"At least I know _you're_ not crazy," Portia smiled. "I'd rather be at the hotel, wrapped up in a robe and slippers-"

"With the heat on," Randy finished her sentence.

"Exactly," she smiled. They talked and laughed for a few more minutes and Portia completely forgot about the cold and the rain. She wasn't bothered anymore that John wasn't rushing to get to her so they could leave. One thing was still bothering her…How could Cory keep someone like Randy waiting for so long?

-----------------------------------

Chris stood at the door to the locker room watching as Taylor helped Mark pack up his bag. His match had been last and he seemed to be having some trouble with one of his knees at the end. He was limping around the room and Taylor kept trying to get him to sit while she finished up. Chris regretted not hiring her as _his_ assistant in the beginning. At least if she worked for him, she'd have to look at him. Every time he'd seen her all day, she seemed to be in a rush. She hadn't said a word to him. He was leaving in the morning for Detroit and he wanted to try one more time to talk to her.

He walked into the room, hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Hey Chris," Mark nodded.

"Hey," Chris smiled at his friend. Taylor was leaning over Mark's bag, her blonde ponytail falling over her shoulder. "Hi Taylor."

"Chris," she looked up quickly and then went back to what she was doing.

Chris sighed, she still wasn't making this easy.

"So..how's the knee?" he asked Mark.

"It's fine, just a little sore," Mark shrugged. "Part of gettin' old. You'll know how it is eventually."

"Thanks Mark," Chris laughed.

"Taylor's tryin' to get me to stay off it," Mark said. "She hasn't learned exactly how to deal with me yet."

The next few minutes were filled with Mark and Chris talking and Taylor speaking only when Mark tried to draw her into the conversation. She was polite but indifferent. It was forced though, he could tell from the way she was averting his gaze that she couldn't be indifferent. She was still hurt.

"Taylor, why don't you get on the road before the weather gets too bad?" Mark patted her shoulder.

She looked grateful for the excuse to leave and smiled, nodding, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Mark waved and then waited until she was out of sight before turning to Chris and sighing, "What'd you do?"

Chris laughed, running a hand through his hair, "Is it that obvious?"

"Not too long ago, you two were like peas in a pod and now she cant wait to get out of the room when you're around," Mark said. "Yes, it's that obvious."

"I cant really say what I did," Chris said. "I just..I said something that I shouldn't have."

"Must have been something pretty damn bad," Mark sat down.

"It was," Chris nodded.

"Well," Mark sighed. "Fix it."

"I wish I could," Chris said.

"Taylor is a good kid. She deserves a good man," Mark said. "You know that don't you?"

"I know," Chris nodded. "I'm just not sure she wants me to be that man anymore."

"Then you need to do whatever you have to do to make sure you don't lose her for good."

Chris nodded, thinking about his impending trip, "I plan to."

-----------------------------------

"You know, you'll get a cold doing things like that," Portia said as she and John rode back to the hotel.

John rolled his eyes. She'd been giving him crap about signing autographs in the rain from the second he got in the car.

"It was fun," he insisted. "You should have joined us."

"I prefer staying dry to looking like a wet dog," she said.

"Do I look like a wet dog?" he smiled, looking over at her.

"No," she smiled. "But Cory did, poor thing."

John thought back to Cory wrapped in her black coat, her dark waves soaked with rain. The weather was miserable but she was smiling from ear to ear for the fans.

"Oh come on, she looked adorable," John said.

"Of course you think that," she rolled her eyes.

He hadn't realized what he said until she responded. That was definitely not smart. He wanted to end things with her tonight, yes, but he didn't want to piss her off even more.

They rode in silence for a few minutes until Portia spoke up, "So..Randy's been working on a lot of new stuff for Wrestlemania."

"Oh yeah?" John asked.

"Yeah he showed me this backbreaker thing earlier tonight, it looks great," Portia smiled. "Sometimes he really surprises me with the things he does."

John smirked, looking over at her, "You know you've been talking about Randy a lot lately."

"Me?" Portia stared. "No I haven't."

"I beg to differ," John said. "You talk about him all the time."

"Randy's a great guy," Portia shrugged. "He's my friend. One of my best friends…that's all."

John nodded, "Right..That's all."

-----------------------------------

Taylor sat on her bed, flipping through the channels on the TV, trying her best not to think about Chris. He wouldn't stop looking at her when they were talking with Mark. He was just watching her, waiting for her to look at him, to say something, do something. But she couldn't. She just couldn't bring herself to forgive him. Not this easily. She understood that people made mistakes but..she couldn't forget what he said. She rubbed her temple, picking up her phone with her other hand. It had been blinking that she had a message since about 6 but she hadn't had time to check it yet. She dialed her voicemail, listening when the message began to play.

"Miss Vogle, this is Rebecca calling you back from the Sheraton hotel. I've been checking into it since you called and I wanted to let you know that we have not recovered a journal from the room you were staying in. We do apologize for the mix ups during your stay and to make up for your inconvenience, we're more than happy to comp your next stay here in the hotel. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call back. Thank you and have a fantastic day."

Taylor hung up the phone, setting it down beside her, praying that her journal turned up soon She must have just missed it. If it wasn't at the hotel, she had to have it. She would look again in the morning.

She opened up her laptop, remembering that earlier Jacinda told her to be sure to check her email. They were both being sent some information regarding a promotion Cory and Viveca were scheduled to do together. She logged into her email, seeing the one Jacinda referred to. She was about to open it but then she saw the one above it. There was no subject, no sender. Just a timestamp. It was sent in the last 15 minutes. She frowned, wondering what it could be. It was probably just junk but usually that had a title. Curiosity got the better of her and she clicked on the email, opening the message. She didn't see anything at first and so she scrolled down.

HOW

COULD

YOU

FORGET

THIS

Taylor kept scrolling and the image that appeared sent her heart into her throat. It was her father's face. He was dead. Red splatters covered his skin and his eyes stared blankly at her. She jumped off of the bed, shaking violently as she stared at her computer. She could hear her own heartbeat and tears filled her eyes. She was breathing heavily and she backed up.

Then, the eyes blinked.

Taylor screamed, rushing into the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before the contents of her stomach made a surprise second appearance. Taylor vomited until her throat felt raw. She looked down at her hands. They were pale and shaking so hard she squeezed them into fists to try and stop them. She leaned back against the wall, hoping that she didn't pass out.

Who would do that to her? Who would send her that? How would they get the picture? How did they get her email?

She closed her eyes, contemplating the idea of just sleeping in the bathtub. There was no way she could go back out there. She couldn't look at that picture again.

-----------------------------------

Cory got into the car and Randy closed the door, running around and getting into the driver's seat. They'd just finished eating and were about to go back to the hotel. She looked down at her wet hair and her jeans that were soaked through.

"I'm gonna have to get out of these clothes as soon as I get to the hotel so I don't get sick," she laughed.

"I can help you with that," Randy smirked, his hand sliding onto her leg.

Cory raised a brow, "Oh really?"

Randy smiled, biting his bottom lip. Cory wasn't exactly sure how to react. Randy didn't usually hit on her quite so blatantly.

"That is..only if you want me to," he shrugged.

She smiled, her eyes traveling over his handsome face, "Does anyone ever say no to that?"

Randy's trademark smirk appeared as he started the car, "No. Never."

-----------------------------------

Adam was walking back to his room when he heard someone at the ice machine. He was about to walk past when he saw a familiar mane of dark hair. Viveca stood in front of the machine in pink pajama pants and a big black t-shirt, her hair twisted up into a messy bun. He wasn't used to seeing her so dressed down. It was cute.

"Hey there," he smiled, walking over to her.

"Adam," she smiled. "Hi."

He shook his head, "Jeff shouldn't have you wandering the halls alone in the middle of the night. It's not safe."

She smirked, "Adam, the only man I see _trolling_ the halls..is you."

"Ouch," he put a hand over his heart.

"Besides, his ankle is bothering him, hence the need for ice," she held up the bucket. "He's in pain."

"And you're taking care of him."

"Trying my best," she smiled.

"I remember when you used to do things like that for me," he smiled. There was a time where Viveca was at his side even if he got a paper cut on his finger. She always took care of him, sometimes spending the night in his room just in case he needed anything. He missed that.

"I remember," she nodded.

"You know, it feels like it wasn't even that long ago when you couldn't stand Jeff and you wanted something to happen between _us_."

He wasn't sure if this was the smartest time to bring it up but he didn't usually catch her alone.

She smiled, "I remember that too."

Then her smile fell, "I also remember you avoiding me and the entire subject of _us_ like the plague and you practically throwing me at Jeff."

Adam winced, knowing he really didn't have a response.

"I should really thank you," her smile returned. " Things are the way they should be. It just took me some time to realize that."

Adam nodded, running a hand over his hair. So this was going to be harder than he thought.

"I should get back to Jeff," she said. She walked up, giving him a quick, dry kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight Adam."

He waved after her, "Goodnight."

-----------------------------------

Cory felt her back hit the door as Randy's tongue snaked into her mouth again. They'd started kissing in the elevator and had only taken a few breaks to breathe since. She looked down and could see him reaching into his pocket for his key. After a few seconds, he found it and got the door open, guiding them both inside. Randy really was a good kisser but Cory couldn't help but be bothered by something. Her eyes were open. She wasn't a person who paid attention to what her eyes were doing, she didn't try to close them or open them but she knew that when she was truly into someone, her eyes always drifted closed and usually stayed that way.

"What's wrong?" Randy mumbled against her lips sand she was startled out of her thoughts, pulling away.

"What?"

"You stopped kissing," he informed her.

"I did?" she stared.

He nodded.

"Sorry," she shrugged, not knowing what else to say. He stood there looking confused and she grabbed his shirt, pulling him into another kiss, tightly squeezing her eyes shut. Randy's hands traveled under her shirt and she tensed at the feeling. His hands were cold and still wet from the rain. Involuntarily, her mind drifted back to the time John kissed her in her grandmother's house. When his lips had touched hers, she'd felt it through her entire body. When his hands touched her skin, they left a trail of warmth that she couldn't accurately describe or explain.

She shook her head, trying to wipe the memory from her brain. This wasn't exactly the best time for it to come up.

-----------------------------------

Randy's hands traveled over Cory's smooth skin, snaking up her sides, his thumb grazing the bottom of her lacy bra. He deepened the kiss, grabbing the bottom of her shirt and pulling it up over her head. The scent of her perfume caught his nose as he got the shirt off and dropped it on the floor. It was nice, light and clean but…for some reason it didn't have any effect on him. He found himself thinking of Portia's perfume. It smelled like flowers and citrus. She'd told him exactly what it was once but he couldn't remember. Whatever it was, the scent seemed to intoxicate him whenever he was near her. He could feel Cory unbuttoning his shirt and he tried to shake Portia from his mind. He had more pressing matters to tend to. Like the woman whose lips his were attached to. The woman taking his shirt off. The woman he was currently leading toward his bed. He unzipped her pants, pushing them down over her hips, focusing on the matter at hand. He was with Cory. His girlfriend. Not Portia. And it was then that he realized…that was the problem. He broke their kiss, taking a step back and staring at Cory. She was amazing. Any man with half a brain would give his left nut to be where Randy was at that very second. Her body was perfect. She had gorgeous breasts heaving out of a pale pink lace bra and his eyes drifted over her perfectly toned stomach. Her body curved in and out at just the right spots and her long tanned legs stretched from a pair of very small pale pink panties with little bows on the sides. Her dark hair was damp from the rain and she was looking up at him with confused blue eyes, her already pouty lips swollen from his kiss. All that and he couldn't follow through.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, not believing what he was about to say. "I cant do this."

-----------------------------------

Cory stared up at Randy. She wasn't sure why but he'd stopped kissing her and instead he was just..looking at her. She sat down on the bed, looking him over. Randy was perfect. Tall and sculpted. He wasn't _huge _but by no means was he small. She took in his long perfect arms and hard stomach. She looked up into his blue eyes, down at his lips. Her gaze traveled over his tattoos. She'd always had a thing for men with tattoos. On paper, Randy was perfect. So why was she just sitting there.

She was grateful when Randy broke the silence, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry…I cant do this."

Relief washed over her and she stood up, "You cant?"

Randy shook his head, "No…I think I'm losing my mind 'cause…I cant."

"Neither can I!" Cory exclaimed, feeling strangely delighted.

"You cant?" he stared.

She shook her head, "Nope. Not at all."

"Oh thank God," He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong with us?" she asked.

Randy shook his head, "It's not you, really. You're hot. I've always thought you were hot."

"So are you," she agreed.

"I cant believe I'm saying no to this," Randy started pacing.

"Neither can I," she laughed, sitting down again. "This is.."

"Crazy?" he suggested.

She nodded.

He plopped down on the bed beside her, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. They sat in silence for a few minutes and then she leaned back, laying beside him, "So…are you thinking about Portia?"

He looked over at her, "You thinking about John?"

-----------------------------------

John leaned against the wall as he and Portia talked outside her door. They'd been standing there for a while just talking about business and, though he was enjoying the conversation, he knew that he had something important to say and it couldn't wait much longer.

"John?"

"Hm?" he looked at her, realizing that he'd spaced out for a second.

"I said I think I should get to bed," she said. "I'm pretty tired."

"Me too," John nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled, reaching in her purse for her key.

_Do it Cena, do it now_

"Portia?" he stopped her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she shrugged. "What's up?"

"Don't get mad at me for asking but…do you..do you think that maybe things between us are just.."

"Not right?" she suggested.

John was completely caught off guard, "Uh…yeah, actually."

Portia looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, "Yeah, I do."

"You do?" he stared.

She nodded, "I'm sorry I just-"

"Don't feel like you're with the right person?" he smirked.

Portia looked guilty but nodded.

John found himself laughing a little as he ran a hand over his hair. He'd expected this conversation to be much more difficult.

"John I thought that all I wanted was for us to get back together," Portia said. "But we just aren't right for each other."

"No we're not," John shook his head.

"I didn't realize it at first but..I want Randy," Portia shrugged.

"You know I'm really not liking all you women picking Randy over me," John laughed.

"You're picking Cory over me aren't you?" Portia smiled.

John looked sheepish and put his hands in his pockets.

"John I see the way you look at her," Portia said. "You and Cory had sparks from the day you met."

"I guess," John laughed. "And you and Randy couldn't be better for each other…And I mean that in a nice way."

"You better," Portia laughed.

"So..does Randy know how you feel?" John asked.

"Not exactly," Portia sighed. "It's kind of hard to tell him when he's dating my friend."

"I think you should just say it," John advised. "Randy likes you, he has for a while."

"Then why would he go out with Cory?" Portia asked.

"Because you told him you wanted me," John reminded her. "And because Cory's trying to distract herself from me by dating him."

"Do you realize how conceited that sounds?" she asked.

"Yeah," John nodded. "But it's true. Talk to Randy, tell him how you feel."

"So I can get him away from Cory for you?" she smirked.

"That would be helpful, yeah," John said. "But I'm not being totally selfish..The good thing that came from this is I feel like you and me are really friends again. I want you to be happy. Randy makes you happy."

Portia nodded, "He does…You're right. I think I'm gonna talk to him in the morning."

"Good," John smiled, pulling her into a hug. He squeezed her tightly, feeling incredibly relieved.

_That went well_

-----------------------------------

"Friends?" Randy extended his hand to Cory.

"Of course," Cory smiled, pushing his hand away and hugging him.

After they'd put their clothes back on, they sat down and talked about their 'relationship' and agreed that they were better off keeping things platonic. They enjoyed each other's company but…their chemistry wasn't of the romantic variety. They'd spent another half hour or so discussing their feelings for John and Portia. Cory couldn't help but think the look on Randy's face when he talked about the other woman was cute. He really liked her. She probably just looked dumb and confused when she talked about John. That was how she felt when she thought about him. Dumb, confused, frustrated, exhausted. He was a very taxing person to have feelings for.

Cory yawned and Randy stood, taking her hand, "Come on…I'll walk you to your room."

"Thanks," she smiled, looping her arm through his as she got up, stepping into her shoes. Randy opened the door for her and she stopped when she saw a very unwelcome sight. John and Portia were standing in front of a room across the hall. He had his arms around her and he was holding her tightly, both of them smiling from ear to ear.

Cory felt her body tense. This really wasn't what she needed. She'd just ended things with Randy because she couldn't get John off of her mind and there he was, wrapped around someone else. He obviously wasn't thinking about her.

She wasn't sure what look she had on her face at that moment but whatever it was made Randy concerned. He gently took her hand, pulling her back into his room and closing the door.

He put an arm around her shoulders, leading her toward the couch, "How about we watch a movie?"

-----------------------------------


	48. Chapter 48

**Peeps, here's another chapter for ya...I'm quite fond of this one and I hope you are too. Thank you so much for the reviews, as you all know, I love hearing what you think and your theories on where the story is going, especially where the lovely Savannah is concerned. In this chapter we meet Nancy, Taylor's mother...I'm already working on the next, it should be up within the next week. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!!!**

**Chapter 48...**

The Next Morning…

Portia couldn't help wringing her hands as she walked towards Randy's room. She was nervous about the talk they were about to have but she knew if she didn't do it then, she might not ever do it. She'd put on one of her favorite outfits and taken forever doing her hair and makeup. Everything had to be perfect when she told Randy how she felt. She couldn't mess this up. Before she knew it, she was standing outside his door. She took a deep breath and held it for a second before raising her hand and knocking lightly. She released the breath as the door slowly opened, a smile spreading across her face.

She froze, hand still in the air when she saw that it was not Randy opening the door. Cory was standing before her looking like she'd just woken up. Her hair was a mess and she was still wearing some of her makeup from the night before. Portia's breath caught in her chest when she noticed Cory was wearing one of Randy's shirts. It was inside out and hanging off of one of her shoulders, probably having been thrown on in haste. Portia could hear the shower running in the background and when she looked into the room, she could see Randy's shorts on the floor but caught no sight of him.

"Hey Portia," Cory stifled a yawn, looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

Portia wanted to ask her the same thing but it was pretty obvious and she didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to hear about what Randy and Cory had done, she didn't want to think about it either. This was a stupid idea. He'd obviously made his choice. She could feel tears filling her eyes and she blinked them away, knowing she needed to leave before her emotions got the better of her.

"I'm sorry, I uh..I'm gonna go."

She walked away as quickly as her feet would take her, stumbling when she felt her shoulder bump someone else's.

"Portia?"

She turned to see Jacinda looking at her. She looked toward Randy's door and then back at her, "Are you alright?"

"Oh yeah," Portia spat. "I'm great."

-----------------------------------

Western Wayne Correctional Facility

48401 Five Mile Road

Plymouth, Michigan

Chris took a deep breath as he sat in the visiting area. He was fortunate enough to have a relative with enough pull with the department of corrections to get him this visit. Making up a story about why he needed it wasn't exactly easily but fortunately his cousin didn't push too hard for an explanation. He couldn't say he was completely comfortable being in a building full of possibly violent criminals, female or not, but he had to do this. He couldn't think of anyone who could give him more insight into this mystery.

He leaned his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together and looking down at them as he waited. After a few minutes, the door on the other end of the room opened and in walked the woman Chris had only seen in a newspaper picture. She was older and her hands and feet were shackled but she was easily recognizable. Nancy Vogle was short, probably 5'5" give or take an inch. She looked older than her picture but still not quite her 42 years. Her small wrists looked like they could have slipped right out of her restraints if she tried. She had very dark brown hair that was pulled back neatly into a ponytail. She had almond shaped eyes that were a deep emerald green. They fixed on him and confusion was evident on her delicate features as she sat across the table from him. The guard connected the shackles holding her ankles to a hook in the floor in front of her chair before he left the room. She watched the heavyset woman leave and then turned back to Chris, still looking confused.

"Ms. Vogle," he said softly, extending his hand.

She allowed him to take one of her hands in his and she shook it gently, the sound of her cuffs hitting the table seemed to make her jump.

She smiled sheepishly and spoke in a soft voice, "You'll have to excuse me..I'm not used to having visitors. The whole time I've been here, the only people I've let come see me are my lawyers."

"I really appreciate you seeing me," Chris smiled. "My name is Chris, I-"

"I've seen you before," Nancy nodded. "They let us watch TV sometimes. Some of the women here like wrestling."

Chris smiled, though he wasn't sure if it was good or bad that Nancy knew who he was. He looked down at his hands and then back up at her again. She seemed to be waiting for him to speak.

"If you haven't allowed any visitors for this long..what made you agree to see me?" Chris asked. His connections got him permission to have a meeting with Nancy but she also had to agree to it.

Nancy smiled wistfully and looked into his eyes, "They told me you know my daughter."

"I do," Chris nodded. "We're good friends."

"Did she ask you to come here?" Nancy asked.

"No," Chris shook his head. "I came because I have some questions. About Taylor..And about Frank Everett."

-----------------------------------

John tripped over a pair of his shoes and almost fell trying to get to his door. He didn't know who the hell was knocking but they didn't seem to take the hint when he tried ignoring them. He was tired and just wanted to get rid of them and go back to bed.

"John!" he heard Portia's voice. "John, please open the door."

He frowned, hearing the urgent tone of her voice. She sounded upset.

"God damn it," he mumbled, opening the door. She was standing with her arms crossed, looking down the hall but he could tell with one look that she was on the brink of tears.

"Hey, what happened?" he ushered her inside, trying to forget about how tired he was. "Did you go talk to Randy?"

"I went to his room," Portia sniffed, a bitter smile touching her lips. "Didn't get to talk to him though."

"Why not?"

"He was in the shower," Portia said. "I guess he needed to clean up after a long night of fucking."

"What?" John stared at her. "Portia, what are you talking about?"

"Cory answered the door," Portia spat. "And I could tell she'd just yanked the nearest shirt on. She was probably about to get in the shower with him. God I am an idiot. I actually thought that Randy wanted me and not _her_."

John hugged Portia, hoping he was providing some sort of comfort. He was fuming though. He could feel his face getting red. Despite all the games he'd played with Cory, he never got anywhere near having sex with Portia. He hadn't even thought about it. He hadn't thought about being with anyone else after her. And she was off fucking Randy.

Jacinda was right. It was best that they have as little interaction as possible outside of work. He was done with this. If she really didn't want him, then he didn't want her.

-----------------------------------

Cory finished off her bacon and started poking at her French toast, trying to decide whether or not to give in to the urge to eat the whole plate. She looked up at Randy who looked about as tired and mopey as she felt. After seeing John and Portia together, they'd ordered some food and watched movies until they fell asleep.

"We're gonna get fat," she pouted, looking down at the table. She'd ordered a full plate of French toast, bacon and two pancakes and a fruit salad. Randy ordered even more.

"No we're not," Randy shook his head. "We work out too much to get fat."

"We're wallowing and drowning our sorrows in food," Cory said. "We're gonna get fat."

"Chubby," Randy corrected, shoveling eggs into his mouth. "Maybe. A little."

She conceded the argument, nodding in agreement.

"Who was at the door when I was in the shower?" Randy asked.

"Portia," Cory rolled her eyes, pouring syrup on her plate.

She felt guilty for the gesture. She and Portia had come a long way since they met. They weren't bestest buddies but they were friends. She shouldn't be thinking about smacking her friend upside the head.

"How'd that go?" Randy asked.

"Okay I guess," she sighed, resting her chin on her hand.

"Come on, we cant be too mad at them," Randy reminded her. "We don't know if anything happened. And we haven't exactly been open books about how we're feeling."

"What are you - Dr. Phil now?" she asked.

Randy shrugged, eating more eggs.

"I'm sorry," Cory apologized for snipping at him. "This just sucks. What if we waited too long?"

-----------------------------------

Hunter followed Jessica into the diner, his stomach growling. When she showed up at his room, suggesting they go grab something to eat, he hadn't thought about it twice. He was starving. On the ride over though, he'd wondered if he should have just stayed at the hotel and ordered room service. The car ride was filled with her talking about James calling her again. He thought after she broke up with the guy, he wouldn't have to hear about him anymore. But no, she was still delighted that he couldn't seem to get over her. He _almost_ felt bad for the guy.

He walked behind her as they looked around for a table. He looked at the back corner and to his surprise, spotted Cory and Randy sitting in a booth. Randy was leaning against the wall looking tired and Cory had her chin resting on her hand, her eyes looking down at nothing in particular. Hunter nudged Jessica and pointed in their direction.

She smiled, grabbing his hand and pulling him over to the table.

"Hey you two," she smiled as they approached.

Randy raised his hand and Cory said 'Hey' her voice muffled by her hand. Hunter stepped around Jessica, sliding into the booth beside Cory. Randy moved his leg, allowing Jessica to sit next to him.

"Why the long faces?" Jessica looked back and forth at them.

"We had a long night," Randy sighed.

Jessica smiled and Cory tossed a straw wrapper at her, "Not like that perv."

"We broke up," Randy explained and Cory nodded.

"You broke up?" Hunter asked, confused.

"And you're here..together?" Jessica asked, thinking the same thing he was.

Cory nodded, "Yeah…we aren't really into each other."

Randy shook his head, "Never were."

"You two are seriously weird," Jessica shook her head, picking up a piece of Cory's bacon.

"Yes we are," Randy rested his elbows on the table. "Last night we told each other we wanted to see other people."

"Two people who just happen to be dating each other," Cory smiled bitterly. "_Yay_ us."

Hunter felt bad for both of them, especially Cory. She looked so upset. Any time he was having a bad day, she managed to make him feel better. He wished he could do the same for her.

"Anything I can do?" he asked.

"No," she smiled weakly. "But thank you."

"Anytime," he smiled.

They were all quiet for a little while and Hunter figured someone needed to bring up a new subject.

He looked down, smirking when he realized Cory was wearing an old DX t-shirt.

"This is nice," he tugged at her sleeve.

She laughed, rolling her eyes.

Jessica laughed, "Did Cory ever tell you guys who her first wrestling crush ever was?"

Randy laughed, shaking his head, "No..who is it?"

"Shawn Michaels," Jessica smiled and Cory rolled her eyes, looking away.

"You had a crush on Shawn?" Hunter asked, nudging his friend in the side.

"Who didn't have a crush on Shawn?" Cory shrugged. "He was hot, whatever."

"I should tell him," Hunter smirked, picking up a piece of bacon from her plate.

"No you shouldn't," she said, snatching it back and taking a bite.

"You know who her _second_ crush was?" Jessica smiled mischievously.

Cory's eyes narrowed and she spoke through clenched teeth, "_Jessica_…"

"Uh oh," Randy laughed. "Who is it?"

"That's not important," Cory said, still glaring at her sister.

Hunter was intrigued. She hadn't seemed so worked up about them knowing she had a crush on Shawn.

"She had a _huge_ crush on someone we all know," Jessica smiled. "For years, in fact."

Cory's cheeks were turning bright red and she looked like she was going to throw something across the table at her sister.

"Who is it?" Hunter asked.

"Well," Jessica smiled, looking at him. "It was _you_."

Hunter didn't think he'd ever seen Cory look genuinely mad at Jessica until that very moment.

He smiled over at her, genuinely surprised. Her cheeks got redder and she looked away. She was really embarrassed, it was kind of cute.

"You had a crush on me?" he asked.

"Not _you personally_," she made a face. "I had a bit of a Triple H crush."

"A bit?" Jessica laughed. "You had a-"

"_Jessica_," Cory pointed angrily.

"What?" Jessie laughed. "Oh calm down Cory, Hunter doesn't care."

"It doesn't matter if Hunter cares," she glared. She looked over at him apologetically, "No offense."

"None taken," he laughed, putting his hands up.

"You wouldn't want me telling your _biggest_ crush that you used to sleep with one of his t-shirts on a pillow now would you?" Cory asked.

"What?" Randy laughed. "Oh come on, I gotta know who that is."

"You wouldn't dare," Jessica's mood turned serous.

"Why?" Cory blinked innocently. "Mark wouldn't care…Oops, did I say that out loud?"

Jessica glared angrily at her and Randy started laughing and making fun of Jessica for having a crush on the Dead Man.

Hunter laughed along with them but he couldn't help but notice Cory said _biggest_ crush. Did that mean he'd been hers? Not that it mattered, he would try for her sake not to bring it up again. Though he couldn't help but want to tease her about it. This was going to be difficult.

-----------------------------------

"What happened that night Ms. Vogle?" Chris asked. For quite some time she'd told Chris about some of the few happy memories she had. Time that she and Taylor had alone when Frank was out of town where they could just sit around in their pajamas all day and eat ice cream or she could take her daughter to the park without worrying about coming home to a belligerent drunk. Chris understood her wanting to share her happy times but he had some questions that need to be answered. It was nice to hear that Taylor had _some_ good memories but right now he needed to focus on one night.

What happened the night your husband died?"

Nancy looked away, "Now why on Earth would you wanna hear that?"

"Because it's important," Chris said, touching her hand. "To Taylor."

"I thought you were a wrestler, not a reporter," She eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm someone who is doing everything they can to try and help your daughter," Chris said.

At the mention of Taylor, Nancy sighed, looking down at her hands, "It was April 16th…A Tuesday…What made me decide that we were gonna start a new life on a Tuesday is beyond me but that's the date I chose I guess…The day before was a bad one. He was mad at me because I got a call about a job. I wanted to take it and, of course, he didn't want me to. We started off just yellin' but before I knew it, he had me by my throat up against the wall. That day, the 16th, my whole body ached. That man could make you feel like you'd been beaten by 2x4s in an alleyway. I woke up that morning and I just..couldn't handle it anymore. I sat down and I was trying to think of where I would be in 10 years and I realized…if I stayed there…I wouldn't have made it 10 more years. And neither would Taylor…I'd never see my baby grow up, never see her graduate from school, get married, have her own children…I couldn't handle thinking about that anymore. I'd tried, unsuccessfully, to leave before but…I had to try again. I let Taylor sleep for a little while longer, she wasn't feeling well that day, she fell asleep right when she got home from school. I started packing things into the car and then when I was about halfway done, I woke her up and got her packing her clothes…

_**April 16**__**th**__** 1997**_

_"Pack your bags sweetheart, hurry," Nancy rushed her daughter, clearing her clothes out of the closet and tossing them into ratty old suitcases. They were falling apart but they were all she had._

_"Mom, what if he comes home early?" Taylor asked._

_"He wont," Nancy said, though her voice waivered with uncertainty. "He usually comes home late, not early. Now hurry up baby, we have to get out of here."_

_"But last time-"_

_"Taylor forget about last time," Nancy said in a stern tone. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "We have to try again."_

_"But mom..." Taylor's bottom lip quivered and those eyes, so much like her father's eyes, filled with tears. "He said..he said he would kill us if we tried to leave. Even if we did, he'd kill us when he finds us.."_

_"Then we'll go where he cant find us," Nancy said, her heart breaking. She knew her daughter wanted to leave just as badly as she did but she was terrified. Nancy was too but she couldn't let that stop her. He threatened to kill them if they left but he would surely kill them if they stayed. "We have to try."_

_Taylor looked up at her mother, her heart beating through her chest. Nancy's hair was wet from going outside and loading things into the car. She had a dark bruise surrounding her right eye and her neck was bruised too. Two nights earlier, Frank had choked her up against the wall until she passed out. She knew her mother was right. They had to go._

_"Do you really think we can find someplace where he wont find us?" Taylor asked._

_"Taylor..I will not let him hurt you anymore," Nancy pulled her into a hug. "I promise. This has to stop."_

_Taylor rested her head against her mother's chest, shutting her eyes tightly and praying. She never prayed anymore because she figured if there was a God, he obviously didn't feel the need to look out for her. But this time seemed like as good a time as any to beg someone, anyone, to help them find a way out._

_They were startled out of their silence when a loud noise sounded throughout the house. It was distinctly different than the claps of thunder they'd been hearing all day. This was the sound of a door slamming._

_"Nancy!" Frank's voice boomed, ten times more frightening than the storm raging outside. Taylor could feel her mother shaking. Or maybe it was her. Or both of them. "Taylor!"_

_"What are we gonna do?" Taylor whispered, tightly gripping her mother's sleeves. "He had to see the car. What are we gonna do?"_

_They heard his loud footsteps bounding up the stairs and Nancy took a deep breath, gripping Taylor's shoulders again, "Get in the bathroom."_

_"What?"_

_"Taylor, just do as I say," Nancy insisted. "Get in the bathroom. Lock the door. Do _not_ come out until _I_ come to get you. Understand?"_

_"But-"_

_"Don't come out until I come get you."_

_Nancy watched as her daughter darted into the bathroom and she heard the door lock. She counted to 3, taking a deep breath as she heard his footsteps. She turned around and found herself only a few feet away from him, his eyes boring into hers. Her eyes darted down to his hand which had a white knuckled grip on the handle of one of the suitcases she'd packed into the car. He dropped it hard onto the floor, still glaring a hole right through Nancy._

"_What the hell is this?" he pointed down at it._

_Nancy opened her mouth but no words came. She willed herself to speak but her brain didn't send any words to her mouth._

"What is it_?" Frank yelled and she could swear she felt his booming voice vibrating through her._

_He kicked the bag toward her and she quickly jumped out of the way before it hit her leg._

_Nancy inched toward the stairs and he didn't tear his gaze away from her for a second. She felt her feet touch the first step and that was all she needed. She turned, racing down the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her. She prayed Taylor heeded her warning and stayed put until she came to get her._

"_Where the fuck are you going?" Frank followed her, taking two steps at a time. She ran towards the kitchen and he caught up to her. She ran into the closest room, the kitchen, with him on her heels. The back door was only a few feet away but she wasn't going to set foot outside the house. Not without her little girl. She turned and he stepped front of her and blocking the doorway._

"_Have you lost your mind?" he asked. "_Huh_? HAVE YOU?"_

"_I'm leaving," Nancy said, her voice trembling, her whole body shaking. "I'm taking my baby and we're getting out of here."_

_Frank shook his head, the corner of his mouth tilting up into that smile. That smile that had drawn her in when she first met him. The same smile that could scare the living daylights out of her now._

"_No you're not," Frank shook his head. "You're not going anywhere."_

"_Yes I am!" Nancy yelled, hoping that by yelling, screaming rather, she could convince him. And herself._

""_No you're not!" He yelled back, taking a few steps and closing the gap between them. "You aren't going anywhere and neither is Taylor."_

_Nancy tried to speak but he cut her off._

"_You don't seem to understand," Frank smiled that terrifying smile. "I will kill you before I let you walk out of this house."_

Nancy had a faraway look in her eyes and he could see that she was slowly tapping her fingertips on the table. He waited for her to continue.

She blinked a few times and closed her eyes looking down at her hands, "The next thing I remember is opening my eyes and being in the living room," Nancy explained. "It was so strange…the walls, they looked like..like someone had taken a paintbrush and just flicked red paint all over the walls."

Chris tried not to wince at the thought. He wasn't sure what to think. Her description had been so detailed but there was such a huge chunk that she couldn't remember. It didn't make sense.

"I looked down and..there he was.." she said, her face almost completely void of any emotion. "His clothes were all red and wet and he had this look on his face…That look haunts me to this day. The first time I met him, his eyes were what drew me in. They had such a fire in them. And the last time I saw them, there was nothing there. Nothing…I was just staring at him and my hands were shaking so hard..then I heard something hit the floor and I looked down and the knife was at my feet. I couldn't believe I did it. I couldn't believe he was dead. I didn't know what to do and then I heard Taylor…She was crying and I started looking around for her then the back door flew open and Paul Cowell stormed in. And now I'm here. In jail for the next 15 - 20 years for killing a man who had been murdering my soul every day. The man who took away that sweet girl's childhood, his own daughter…They would've put me in a higher security place but violent acts are so out of character for me and since I don't remember actually committing the crime, they sent me here."

Chris shook his head. It didn't seem right. He knew that murder was wrong but he'd heard so many horrible things about this man. He'd seen with his own eyes the effect that Frank Everett had on his own kid. It just didn't make sense.

Chris frowned, trying to focus on what he needed to know, "So you don't remember stabbing him at all?"

Nancy shrugged, shaking her head, "No..That's where a lot of the rumors came from. But Taylor…she could never do what people think she did. She was a scared young girl locked in a bathroom, not some knife wielding…"

Nancy shook her head, looking away.

"You're sure that it was you and not her?" Chris asked.

Nancy nodded.

Chris could see that talking about all of this was wearing on her and he started to feel guilty. It was obvious that she didn't have anything else to tell him.

"Thank you so much for talking to me Ms. Vogle," he reached out to shake her hand.

She nodded, offering a weak smile.

He got up, turning to let the guard know he was ready to leave.

"Chris?"

He turned around, somewhat surprised, "Yeah?"

"Do..do you..have a picture of her? Of Taylor?"

Chris came prepared for that particular question. He pulled a picture out of his pocket and set it down on the table, "You can keep it. It's yours."

-----------------------------------

"I have to figure out what they're hiding," Viveca said as she sat down in the makeup chair. "It's gonna drive me insane."

"V, it's Taylor, Matt, and Jeff," Cory said. "Anything they're hiding is something good that you're probably gonna love."

"That doesn't matter," Viveca insisted. "They're still hiding something from me."

Jessica laughed, towel drying her damp hair, "You are truly the nosiest person I've ever met."

"I am not nosy," Viveca said defensively. "I'm _inquisitive_."

"You're a snoop," Cory laughed as one of the stylists curled her hair. "Come on, if Jeff's trying to plan something cute for you, just let him do it in peace."

"He's probably nervous enough without you sniffing around trying to figure out what's going on," Jessica said.

"Why would he be nervous?" Viveca asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Do you know something?"

"No," Jessica laughed. "I just know that even after all the time you two have been together, he still gets nervous about trying to impress you. That kid is in love."

Viveca smiled into the mirror, "He is, isn't he?"

"And so are you," Cory smiled. "It's so cute. When I first met you two, you were trying to avoid him like the plague."

"That or she was making fun of him," Jessica laughed.

"I was confused," Viveca laughed. "It took me some time to realize how great he is."

"Aww," Cory and Jessica smiled in unison.

"Oh shut up, both of you," Viveca glared.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being in love," Jessica smiled. "You've found your soul mate."

Viveca made a face at her and Jessica laughed, blowing her a kiss.

"You know what's funny," Viveca said. "Jeff is the last person I would ever have thought I'd wanna spend the rest of my life with but…I cant picture myself with anyone else now."

"That's very special V," Cory smiled, reaching to pinch her friend's cheek.

Viveca laughed, smacking her hand away.

"Just make sure we're invited to the wedding," Jessica smiled.

"Whatever, you two should take notes," Viveca teased.

"From you and Jeff?" Jessica raised an eyebrow.

"From relationships like ours, yes," Viveca nodded. "Jessie, you need to stop dating losers and look at Hunter, the amazing guy that's right in front of you and has wanted you since the day you met."

Jessica opened her mouth to speak but Viveca wasn't done yet.

"And Cory, you need to stop being such a control freak and just accept that John is a man. Men mess up. But he really, _really_ likes you and you like him back. Neither of you are perfect but you could be pretty good together if you'd just grow up a little."

It was Cory's turn to open her mouth but the photographer leaned into the room, "Viveca, you're up first."

Viveca smiled at both of them before leaving the room, leaving the sisters staring at each other.

"Did V just call me an immature control freak?" Cory pointed to the door.

"I think so," Jessica nodded. "And she said that Hunter wants me. Is that true?"

"Is that a serious question?" Cory asked.

"Are you an immature control freak?" Jessica smirked.

"Hey!" Cory tossed a brush at her sister who quickly ducked out of the way.

"Seriously, I mean I know Hunter _used_ to have a crush on me but…"

"J, his crush never went away," Cory walked over and sat beside her sister. "You just thought it did because you started to ignore it."

Jessica sighed, "And he thinks.."

"That you don't feel the same?" Cory finished her sentence. "Yeah, that's pretty much what he thinks."

Jessica sighed, running her hands through her hair. She really could be an idiot sometimes. She hadn't realized that Hunter had any serious feelings for her. She wasn't exactly sure what her own feelings were. Hunter was the most amazing guy she knew. He was her best friend. But she'd never really thought about him being anything more than her best friend. Not until recently when she caught herself staring at him, watching him for no reason in particular, noticing how good he looked or smelled. She frowned, confused.

"I don't know if I do feel the same," she said.

"Well you better figure it out soon," Cory said. "Before he throws in the towel on your ass."

Jessica nodded, knowing that her sister was right, "So..what are you gonna do?"

"About John?" Cory asked.

Jessica nodded.

"I don't know," Cory shrugged. "I mean, last night I thought I was totally ready to take things further with Randy but it just…it wasn't right. I kept thinking about John…I'm always thinking about him…I actually have to deal with this, don't I?"

"You probably should," Jessica laughed. "Just talk to him. Tell him what you're feeling."

"What I'm feeling doesn't make sense," Cory laughed.

"It doesn't have to," Jessica said. "Just tell him."

Cory nodded.

They sat in silence for a little while and then Cory laughed, "Is it, like, in our genes that we just cant have normal, successful relationships?"

"Well…" Jessica sighed. "Look at our mothers."

Cory nodded, "Yeah…it's definitely in our genes."

-----------------------------------

Nancy looked down at the picture of her little girl. She'd always known Taylor would be beautiful but she hadn't known how much. Taylor was standing with Chris and another man she recognized from the WWE, John Cena. They were all wearing the same blue t-shirt with the Smackdown logo printed across it and Taylor was smiling brightly while both men made funny faces. Seeing her daughter took Nancy's breath away. Her blue eyes were as big and bright as ever and her honey blonde hair cascaded past her shoulders in big, loose curls. She looked so much like her father. Her eyes were the exact same color and she had those lashes that seemed to go on forever. One corner of her mouth came up higher than the other when she smiled, just like his. She looked healthier than she ever had, her bones weren't jutting from her skin the way they had as a child. She didn't have a single bruise or cut or scrape. But from what Chris told her, she was still wounded by everything Frank had done to her. Nancy blinked away tears as she thought back to that night in April. The night that changed all of their lives. Sometimes she still saw his face when she closed her eyes. His cold, lifeless face.

"I did the right thing," she touched her daughter's face, wishing she could do it for real. "I did the right thing."

-----------------------------------

Mark sat in his dressing room, leaning against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. In a few days it was official. He was a whole year older, his body ached more, he was crankier in the morning, he wanted to go to bed earlier at night…and he was alone. He had friends, yes, friends that he loved dearly but…no Dawn. He'd been going to her number in his phone again, his finger hovering above that button. He couldn't get rid of that urge, the urge to call her and tell her that she was being crazy and he was coming to her house whether she liked it or not and they were gonna work this shit out. But he couldn't. she didn't want him to and he couldn't force her to be with him. He'd laid everything out there for her before she left and she still went without looking back.

He sighed, wondering how he was going to put on an act for the party he knew Cory and Glenn were planning. He wasn't sure how well he could do but, for Cory, he would try. She missed Dawn about as much as he did. He didn't worry about her as much when Dawn was around. He'd always felt like anything she thought she couldn't talk to him about, she had Dawn for. She hated talking to him about men because, if he could, he would kick just about anyone's ass for looking at her twice. Dawn was able to give her advice on relationships, help her sort out her feelings better than Mark ever could. But with her gone, Mark wasn't sure he was good for anything with Cory. Some of the time she was acting like his mom, hovering over him and making sure he was fed, clothed and as happy as he could be considering the situation. Then there were times where she seemed so withdrawn. He didn't know where her mind was. There were times when she looked so sad it broke his heart. He needed to make sure to stay out all day on his birthday and act real surprised when he came home to a party. He wanted to make this perfect for her.

-----------------------------------

Cory was looking at the match board with Jacinda and Trish when she saw John out of the corner of her eye. She'd wanted to talk to him since her conversation with Jessie and Viveca earlier. They were right, and so was Dawn. She needed to stop being such a control freak and just let things happen.

"I'll be right back," she informed her companions before walking in the same direction as John.

"John!" she called after him.

He didn't stop and she realized he was wearing headphones. She walked faster, trying to catch up to him. She finally reached him, smiling and gently grabbing his arm, "John, hey."

"Hey," he said, not offering a smile in return. "What's up?"

"I um..I just wanted to talk to you for a second," she shrugged.

"You know, I really don't have time right now," he said, putting one of his headphones back in. "I'll see you later though."

Before she could say anything else, he popped his other earphone back in and walked away.

She stared after him, feeling strangely sad. She wasn't entirely familiar with rejection from men but she was pretty sure she'd just experienced it.

Trish and Jacinda walked up behind her and Trish put an arm around her, "You okay?"

"Yeah I just.." Cory stopped staring, looking over at them. "That was weird, right?"

"John brushing you off?" Trish said. "Yeah, that was definitely weird."

Jacinda nodded in agreement, "I cant imagine what his problem is."

-----------------------------------

Adam walked into the locker room, pulling off his t-shirt and tossing it in the general direction of his bag. He was almost done for the night and he was ready to get back to the hotel and get to bed. He had a headache and his back was killing him. On top of that, he seemed to see Jeff and Viveca all over each other every time he turned around. Speaking of Jeff, he'd accidentally kicked his bag when he sat down on a bench and a few things fell out of it. He briefly considering leaving them where they were but he changed his mind, getting down and tossing the items back into the bag. He stopped when he realized one of the things he had in his hand.

A small, black velvet box.

"No way," Adam shook his head. There was no way Jeff was that dumb.

He opened the box and sure enough, there was a diamond ring.

"Maybe he is," Adam smirked.

He jumped when he heard someone coming toward the locker room. He finished fixing Jeff's bag up and then stood, tossing the ring into his own bag. He smiled to himself, sitting down and beginning to untie his boots. He'd been looking for something to buy him a little time to fix things with Viveca. And Jeff just gave him the perfect opportunity.

-----------------------------------

Chris pulled into the closest parking space he could find in front of the diner. He'd called 411 when he left the correctional facility and got the number for the diner Paula said she worked at. He called ahead and let her know he was coming. He had some questions to ask her too. She smiled when she saw him through the window and met him at the door.

"Hey there," she flashed her bright smile. "How are you?"

"A little tired," he said, following her as she walked toward a booth in the corner.

"Have a seat," she gestured, sliding into the far side of the booth. He sat down across from her, running a hand through his hair.

"So," Paula smiled. "How's Taylor?"

Chris sighed. He'd thought it was best not to tell Paula what he was coming by to talk about ahead of time but he was beginning to think he was wrong.

"She's uh…not that great honestly," Chris sighed.

Paula's smile fell and her green eyes looked concerned, "Why? What's wrong?"

Chris rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath before explaining to Paula what happened after she told him Taylor's secret. When he told her about coming to Taylor's room and berating her, her eyes bore into him angrily and she leaned forward whispering harshly, "Chris I did not tell you that so you could use it against her."

"I know and-"

"God I have such a big mouth," she shook her head. "I just thought that you two were close and…wow, I am an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Chris said.

"And you," she glared at him. "How could you-"

"Look, Paula, I didn't come here so you could tell me what an asshole I am," he cut her off, not in the mood. "I've heard that enough lately."

Paula looked like she wanted to say more but, fortunately for him, she waited for him to explain what he _was_ there for.

"Did you know Taylor doesn't remember the night her father died?"

Paula sighed, nodding, "Yeah I know. She was in shock."

Chris noted the matter of fact way Paula spoke, "That sounds like first hand knowledge."

Paula smiled sheepishly, running a hand through her hair, "I uh..I sort of snuck up to the hospital to see her."

"You did?"

Paula nodded, "She didn't have any family, I just..I felt like someone needed to check on her. Someone she knew. Someone who would care. My dad told me not to but I skipped school and took the bus."

"When was this?" Chris asked.

"A couple days after the trial," Paula said. She shook her head, looking out the window, "She was so out of it."

"Did she say anything?"

"Not directly to me," Paula answered. "She didn't even seem to notice that I was there. She was just staring out the window most of the time. She mumbled something but I couldn't make out what she said."

Chris leaned forward, "Paula, do you remember anything else that could help? Anything from that day? Or any other day, just..anything."

Paula thought about it for a few seconds, still looking out the window. Then, her expression turned to a frown and she looked at Chris again, "I do remember something. There was this..strange guy standing outside of her room when I came out. When he saw me he left before I could get a good look at his face."

Chris perked up at the mention of the stranger.

"He had a baseball cap pulled really low on his head, I saw that much," Paula said. "He was probably some creep. One of those morbid wierdos that gets off on murder cases and stuff."

Paula's face was marred with disgust. The gears in Chris's mind started working. He chose not to tell Paula about the strange man that Viveca saw leaving Taylor's room. He didn't want her to freak out but…something about this and what Paula just told him seemed important. He made a few mental notes but decided to change the subject a little.

"Do you remember hearing anything that night?" Chris asked. "The night Frank died."

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Paula answered. "You could hear Frank screaming his head off any night of the week. Sometimes he hit Taylor and Nancy so hard I could hear it up in my room."

Chris winced at the thought.

"Whoever did kill him was doing the whole world a service whether it was Nancy or not," Paula said. "That man did horrible things that even Taylor doesn't know about."

"Like what?" Chris asked.

Paula looked out the window, then down at her hands. Then, she put her hands on the table and stood up, "I really need to get back to work Chris. I hope I was able to help some."

Chris wanted to question her further but she patted him on the shoulder quickly, "Take care of Taylor. Good luck with everything."

Before he could say anything else she walked away quickly, disappearing into the kitchen, leaving him wondering what other secrets were hidden in that house.

-----------------------------------

Cory wiped her hands on her jeans, wondering when the hell she got sweaty palms. She never had that problem.

She watched John as he talked to Dave. They hadn't really had a chance to talk all night. They'd been around each other a lot, for the show, but it seemed like whenever they were done filming something, John had to rush off. But his match was over now and they didn't have anything left to tape so she knew she would finally have a chance to talk to him.

She took a deep breath, hoping this worked. She wasn't generally a fan of telling a guy how she felt. She wasn't used to having to do this.

Dave seemed to notice her hovering and he smiled at her before excusing himself from John and walking off down the hall. She walked over, hands in her pockets.

"Hey John," she said.

He turned around and she became even more nervous when she looked into his blue eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Can I um..I really need to talk to you," she stammered, feeling like an idiot. "It's..it's about.._us_."

John laughed, shaking his head a little, "Cory I think you've told me more than once that there is no us."

Cory knew she looked dumbfounded. She was definitely expecting a more hopeful response.

"I know," she said. "And I'm sorry about that. I'm..I've been thinking and uh..maybe we could.."

She was having trouble finding the right words and the indifferent look on his face wasn't helping. What the hell was going on?

"Cory listen…" he stopped her from saying anything else. "I've been thinking too and..I think that maybe you and me should only talk business from now on. You were right all along, we aren't making this thing work so let's just…let it go. Okay?"

Cory felt as if someone had punched her in the gut and all she could do was nod and squeak out, "Okay."

He turned around and walked away and she was glad she was able to hold in the tears until he'd gone around the corner. She felt like a complete an total imbecile. What the hell was she thinking? _Why_ did she think that this was a good idea? She turned around, feeling her eyes fill with tears. She bit back sobs which just made her angry. Why was she so upset? She'd pushed _him_ away first. She was just getting what she wanted, right?

She didn't realize how fast she was walking until she bumped into someone, pain shooting through her shoulder.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute," she recognized Hunter's voice and felt a hand gently grab her arm. She couldn't see past her tears. She allowed herself to be pulled against him.

"What happened?" he asked. "Why are you crying?"

His hand ran over her hair and she couldn't hold back anymore. She was crying too hard to even answer him.

-----------------------------------

Chris sat in his hotel room, looking at the things he'd written down. When he got back from the diner, he tried to write down everything he'd learned that day. He needed to keep all of this information straight. He looked at the picture of Nancy from the newspaper article again. He didn't know what to make of his conversation with her. Did she really not remember stabbing her husband? Was she lying because it would help her defense if she decided to appeal? Or was she really protecting her young daughter? He just couldn't tell. He couldn't see Taylor murdering anyone but after meeting Nancy, he couldn't see that either. The woman had nearly jumped out of her skin when her handcuffs hit the table, how could she raise a knife and viciously stab a man to death.

What did Paula know about Frank that Taylor didn't? Why did she rush away from him so fast when he asked.

And why did he get the feeling that the man outside Taylor's hospital room all those years ago had something to do with the man in the hotel?

He leaned back against his headboard, looking up at the ceiling. He had no idea what he was getting himself into with all of this but he couldn't give up now. He needed to find out what happened. For Taylor.

-----------------------------------


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49...**

"Hey Nance," Carmen, Nancy's cellmate sat up in her bed.

Nancy looked up from the book she was reading, resting it on her chest, "Yeah?"

"Who was that blonde guy that came to see you?" Carmen asked. "Everybody's talking about how cute he was."

"A friend of my daughter's," Nancy smiled at how eager Carmen was for news. She liked her cell mate. She just turned 21 and Carmen had already been incarcerated for 3 years. She was in jail because she got involved with the wrong person. She was engaged at only 17 to a boy she'd known all her life. What she didn't know at first was that he was a drug dealer. When she did find out, she left him but he wooed her with expensive gifts and promises that once they had their own house, he would stop. She trusted him and soon regretted it. It turned out, her fiance had been hiding drugs in her family's home without her knowledge. The police raided the house after a tip from a rival dealer and Carmen's fiance claimed she knew all along and was assisting him in his business. Her family disowned her and she was convicted of criminal possession with the intent to distribute and drug trafficking. The young woman never had visitors so she was always curious about everyone else's.

"What'd he want?" Carmen asked.

"He wanted to know about the night Frank died," Nancy sighed. "He had a lot of questions."

"Did you tell him everything?" Carmen asked.

"I told him enough," Nancy shrugged. "He didn't need to hear the _whole_ story. I mean, how much detail would he want to hear? I killed a man."

"But you don't remember it," Carmen reminded her.

"I know," Nancy rested her head against her pillow. "You should go to bed Carm. Your lawyer's coming in the morning."

"I know," Carmen sighed shakily. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be," Nancy said. "You don't deserve to be here. Eventually someone will see that."

"I hope so," Carmen said softly. "Hey Nance?"

"Yeah?"

"Did he say how she is?" she asked. "You know, Taylor."

"He said she's amazing," Nancy said. "He said she's troubled and that's why he's asking these questions but…she's a great person."

"She has to be, you raised her," Carmen said. "Did he give you a picture?"

Nancy nodded, pulling the picture out from under her mattress and holding it out. Carmen took it, smiling at the image.

"She's beautiful," Carmen smiled.

"Yes she is," Nancy nodded.

"You don't look much alike," Carmen noticed.

Nancy sighed, "I know…She looks like her father."

Carmen nodded and handed the picture back to her.

"Get to bed," Nancy instructed again and this time Carmen listened.

Nancy dropped her book onto the floor, wondering what that must be like for Taylor. To look at herself in the mirror and see her father's eyes staring back at her, having to look like the bastard who made her life hell. That was probably the least of her worries though. Nancy knew the thoughts that ran through her own head, the memories of her years with Frank…she could only imagine what ran through Taylor's. She tried her best to stop thinking about it and soon she'd drifted into a light sleep….

_"You don't seem to understand," Frank smiled. "I will kill you before you walk out of this house._

_Nancy trembled, knowing that he meant every word he said. She could see it in his eyes. _

_He walked toward her and she backed up, wishing that her nerves weren't so shot. She couldn't stop shaking._

"_Haven't we gone over this before?" he asked. "I _own_ you. You and that kid."_

_His eyes were trained on hers and she reached behind her, fumbling with a drawer handle. He was saying something but she couldn't hear him over the sound of her heart beating. _

_She pulled the drawer open just a few inches as he spoke, sliding her slim hand inside. The second she felt something cold against her skin, she gripped it, wincing when she felt a knife blade cut into her hand. They were usually turned the other way._

"_What are you doing?" he asked, noticing the twitch._

_Nancy found the handle of the knife and pulled it out of the drawer. Her hands shook violently as she held it up, "Get away from me."_

_His smile appeared again and there was practically a twinkle in his eye as he shook his head, "What are you gonna do with that?"_

"_Get away from me Frank," she tried to sound more stern but her voice cracked. She gripped the knife tightly in both hands trying to look into his eyes._

_He rubbed his hand over his chin, smile still in place then, before she knew it, the back of his hand was flying at her face. She fell to the ground and he kicked her. She clutched her stomach with her bloody hand, trying to stand back up, his laughter causing a rage to boil inside her. _

_He truly was the sickest person she'd ever met._

_The pain in her stomach showed no signs of going away and she couldn't make it to her feet. She tried to crawl away and he simply watched her, still laughing. He let her get near the doorway before he caught up to her, his foot dropping onto the hand that held the knife. She screamed, letting it go as he pressed his weight onto her hand. He bent down, snatching it up, "What were you gonna do with this, huh?"_

_She looked up at him, pain shooting through her hand and her stomach. She could feel her cheek starting to swell. The menacing glint in his blue eyes told her that she wasn't anywhere near the end of the pain she would feel. He wasn't smiling anymore._

"_Were you gonna kill me Nancy?" he asked, leaning down, his face close to hers._

_He stood up abruptly, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her up with him, "Do it Nancy."_

_She stared at him, sure she hadn't heard him right._

_He forced the knife into her hands, his eyes wild, "Why don't you just fuckin' do it?"_

_She cried, trying to let go of the knife. She was positive some of the bones in her hand were broken. She'd felt them crack. He pressed her fingers around it and she could feel tears streaming down her face._

"_Hold it!" he yelled._

"_No!" she cried._

"_Hold it!" he squeezed his hand around hers. He backed up a few steps and Nancy tried to hold back her sobs. She was shaking so badly she was sure she'd drop the knife but she held on for fear that he would kill her if she did._

"_Come on you pathetic bitch," he sneered. "You took the knife out..Do something with it."_

"_Frank…" she pleaded._

"_Mom!"_

_Nancy turned her head in the direction of doorway and so did Frank. There stood their daughter, eyes wide and filled with tears._

"_Mom you're bleeding," Taylor cried._

"_Taylor I told you to stay upstairs," Nancy said through clenched teeth._

_Nancy slowly turned toward Frank again. She could see the gears grinding in his mind. The corner of his mouth lifted and Nancy's heart beat faster._

"_Taylor go back upstairs," she said quickly._

"_But Mom-"_

"_Taylor!" Nancy yelled. "Go Back Upstairs!"_

"_Taylor you stay right where you are," Frank smiled._

"_Go!" Nancy ordered._

"_Taylor, you know damn well which one of us to listen to," Frank said. "You stay right where you are."_

_Frank walked slowly toward Nancy and then his arm shot out. He grabbed her hair so hard she let go of the knife again and it clanked loudly on the floor. He kicked it away so hard it stuck into the bottom of the back door._

"_I told you what I'd do if you tried to leave Nancy," Frank whispered, his lips touching her ear. "I wasn't expecting an audience but..maybe it's best that you go first. That way our daughter can see what she's in for."_

"_Frank.." Nancy cried. "Please."_

"_Taylor," Frank said calmly. "I hope you said a nice goodbye to your friends at school today."_

-----------------------------------

_Wednesday…_

Mark groaned, rolling onto his back, rubbing his eyes. He yawned, stretching his arms above his head and slowly opening his eyes, looking up at the ceiling. He wanted to stay in bed for at least another hour but if he knew Cory, she was gonna have Glenn get him out of the house early. He sat up, grabbing a pair of sweatpants off the floor and stepping into them. He guessed it was time to go say good morning. Initially Cory was the only ones who was supposed to be staying at the ranch with him but after the show on Tuesday, Cory ordered dinner and Glenn, Jacinda, Hunter, and Jessica came by. Mark excused himself to go to bed at around 1 but he heard everyone else up until about 3. When he came out to get some water he made sure they all knew they were more than welcome to stay.

He yawned again, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. He was greeted with the scent of bacon coming from the kitchen. He walked down the stairs and through the living room, hearing his friends talking and eating. When he got to the kitchen, Hunter and Jessica were sitting at the table each devouring a stack of pancakes and Cory was piling bacon onto a plate.

She smiled brightly when she saw him, "Happy Birthday!"

Hunter and Jessica looked up and, he assumed, said the same. It was hard to tell because their mouths were filled with food.

"You didn't have to cook," Mark took the plate of bacon from her and set it down, wrapping his arms around her.

"Of course I did," she smiled. "It's your birthday. Now go sit down, I'll get you a plate."

"I'll sit in just a minute, I'm gonna go brush my teeth before I knock everybody out," Mark smirked.

He mussed Cory's hair before exiting the kitchen and heading back up the stairs. On his way to his room he could hear voices coming from one of the guest rooms.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Jacinda was asking Glenn.

"I don't know," Glenn laughed. "I haven't really had time to think about it."

"If we have a girl she'll have you wrapped around her finger," Jacinda laughed.

"Not necessarily," Glenn laughed.

"Trust me," Jacinda laughed. "She will. It'll be adorable."

"If you say so," Glenn relented.

Mark continued on the way to his room, hands on his hip. He was really trying to be happy for his friend. This was an important time in Glenn's life and as his best friend, it was his job to be supportive. But something just didn't seem right.

-----------------------------------

Jeff finished his breakfast with one hand, changing the channel on the TV with the other. He wished he had more time to eat but Viveca woke him up insisting that she needed to go shopping for a pair of cowboy boots for Mark's party and he had to go with her. He'd agreed and went back to sleep, assuming they'd go later but she hit him with a pillow until he got up and ordered room service. She ate her breakfast in 5 minutes flat and got in the shower. Now he was waiting for her to get out so he could get in.

"Honey?"

Jeff smiled when he heard her voice, turning to see her head poking out of the bathroom, her dark hair dripping water all over the floor.

"You need some help?" he smirked.

"You wish," she made a face at him. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Of course," he said. "What do you need?"

"My moisturizer," she said. "I forgot to get it before I came in here."

Jeff tried to think of where it was and remembered that she'd asked him to put a few of her things in his gym bag because she didn't have room.

"I'll bring it to you," he got up.

"Thanks babe," she smiled before closing the door.

He walked over to his bag and unzipped it then opened the side pocket he put her things in. He pulled out her moisturizer, deodorant, and a small bottle of something that had French writing on it. He was about to take them to her when he realized that something was wrong. Once her things were out, the pocket was empty. That wasn't right. There was supposed to be something else there. The ring.

"Shit," he stared, hoping he'd just..missed it somehow.

Without hesitation, he started yanking everything out of the bag, tossing aside t-shirts, pants, whatever else was in the bag.

"Where the hell is it?" he asked out loud.

He didn't even know Viveca had come out of the bathroom until he threw a t-shirt and heard her cough.

He turned around to see her pulling the sweat stained shirt off of her face and holding up her towel with her other hand.

"Uh..Jeff…I love you..really I do but..I don't enjoy the smell of your stale sweat," she frowne, dropping the shirt on the floor.

She spotted her moisturizer on the floor and picked it up, "Are you okay? You look like you're gonna have a heart attack."

He knew he looked panicked. He couldn't help it.

"Nothing," he lied, shaking his head.

"You lose something?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yeah."

"You need help?" she asked.

He shook his head rapidly, "No..No."

"Okay," she laughed. "I'm gonna finish getting ready. Don't worry babe, I'm sure you'll find whatever it is the second you stop looking. That's what always happens to me."

"Yeah," Jeff nodded, looking around the room at everything he'd tossed around. "I hope you're right."

She smiled walking back to the bathroom, "I always am."

-----------------------------------

Chris walked down the hall toward the room Viveca told him was Taylor's. He'd called her as he was leaving the airport to let her know he was back from his trip and ask where Taylor was. Viveca had a million and one questions about what he found out but he promised he'd tell her later. He wanted to talk to Taylor about it first. He was nervous though. He wasn't sure if she'd be grateful that he wanted to help or if she'd be angry and accuse him of trying to prove that she _did_ kill her father. Part of him wished he and Cory had never pushed her to go to Detroit. Then things wouldn't have changed. She would still be speaking to him. She wouldn't look at him like she didn't even know him anymore. But he knew that things happened for a reason. He found her on the side of the road that night for a reason. They ran into Paula for a reason. He needed to help her figure this out. And then, hopefully, they could figure out what was going on between them. He reached her door, knocking quickly. He waited for a few seconds before he knocked again. He sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing her number. Of course, he got no answer. He ran his hand through his hair, looking around the hallway. He should have known she would ignore him. He'd just have to talk to her at Mark's party. She couldn't ignore him there.

-----------------------------------

"How did you come up with this?" Jessica asked, cutting open another bag of ice. She and Cory were in the backyard putting beers on ice. Cory bought plastic garbage cans and put them inside of wood barrels to disguise the 'coolers'.

Cory shrugged, "I just thought it would be cute."

"It is," Jessica smiled. "You are so Martha Stewart."

"I don't think I like that comparison," Cory laughed.

"You're throwing a theme party," Jessica smirked.

"It is not a theme party," Cory insisted.

"Yet you told everyone to arrive in Western attire," Jessica looked down at her overalls.

"I suggested," Cory said. "And you cannot blame me for you wearing that."

"Whatever, these are cute," Jessica laughed.

"If you say so," Cory smirked. "Your overalls aside…I really need everything to be just right tonight."

"You know you've told me that 3 times now," Jessica reminded her sister. She'd been on edge for most of the day trying to make sure everything was done exactly right. Jessica couldn't remember seeing her sit down since breakfast.

"I'm sorry Jess I just…" Cory sighed. "Dawn's not here and there's no chance that she's gonna show up and make his day…I have to do everything I can to make sure that for at least a little while, he's not thinking about that."

"Well you've got my help," Jessica assured her, giving her a hug.

"Okay I'm here, point me toward my work station."

Jessica winced, trying to keep Cory in the hug when John walked around the side of the house.

Cory pulled away, glaring, "Jessica…What is he doing here?"

"What makes you think I know?" Jessica asked.

Cory crossed her arms over her chest.

"He's the best person to man the grill," Jessica insisted. "This has nothing to do with your relationship issues."

Cory rolled her eyes, "Just keep him away from me."

-----------------------------------

As John walked along the side of the house he wondered if this was a good idea. He wanted to be there to celebrate Mark's birthday and Jessica and Hunter had asked him to come but he knew Cory wasn't going to be happy to see him. This wasn't his fault though. She was the one who had sex with Randy. How could she be mad at him for what he said?

He rounded the corner and could see that set up was in full swing. Hunter, Randy and Jason were setting up wood for the bon fire, Jacinda was placing a cloth over a table. Viveca was wrapping presents. Jeff and Matt were doing something with hay bales. John looked around until he saw Jessica. And then he saw Cory. She was wearing an incredibly short pair of denim shorts, a long sleeved pink and white plaid shirt tied up just enough to show off some of her stomach, and a pair of black cowboy boots. Her dark curls were blowing in the wind and she held them away from her face with her hand as she and Jessica talked. Then she bent over to pour ice into the barrel in front of her and it was at that moment that John thanked the heavens that he hadn't taken the theme too far and worn tight jeans like the other guys. He didn't need her to see the reaction she caused in him. He shook his head, telling himself to stop staring and drooling. He was there for a reason and it wasn't to lust after a woman he couldn't have.

She and Jessica talked and a troubled expression crossed her face. He wanted to know what was wrong but it was none of his business. He was sure Jessica could handle it. The two women hugged and he John decided to just suck it up and walk over.

"Okay I'm here, point me toward my work station," he smiled.

They spoke for a second and John could see Cory crossing her arms over her chest.

_Nobody told her I was coming_

He walked up, assuring himself that he could do this. He could talk to her without any feeling. He was there for Mark. That was all.

"You made it," Jessica smiled, giving him a hug. .She turned around in front of him, "What do you think?"

Jessica was wearing a very worn looking pair of overalls and a black cropped t-shirt. Her dark hair was held in pigtails by red silk ribbons, matching the red bandana she had around her neck.

"Very nice J," John gave her a thumbs up.

Cory wasn't looking at him, her eyes were on the men stacking wood. Probably on Randy.

"So…I hear you're in need of a chef," he touched her arm to get her attention.

"Jessica says you're the best to be in charge of the grill," Cory said quietly. "I'd appreciate it if you'd help."

"Anything for my boy Mark," John smiled. "Although I'm surprised you didn't just have Randy do it."

Cory looked at him for a second and then shook her head, walking away.

"Why did you do that?" Jessica smacked him on the arm.

"I didn't do anything," John said. "I just said I was surprised."

"Look, I know you said you were giving up and, though I think that's stupid, I respect your decision…but you need to be nice to her today, okay?" Jessica asked. "I'm worried. If anything goes wrong with this party I don't think she'll take it very well."

"Why not?"

"Because she's scared to let Mark down," Jessica said.

"Because of Dawn," John nodded, feeling a little guilty. He'd been there 5 minutes and he was already pissing her off. He took a deep breath, putting his hands in his pockets, "I'll try to make things as smooth as possible."

Jessica smiled, "Thank you."

-----------------------------------

Taylor pressed her foot on the gas a little more, quickly looking at the clock on the dashboard. She'd just finished picking up the present Viveca asked her to get for Mark and it took a little longer than expected. She needed to get back to the hotel, get changed and head to Mark's. Cory had asked her to help set up for the party and she didn't want to be too late. She wasn't exactly in a party mood but Mark had done a lot to help her out and the least she could do was be there on his birthday. She still wasn't sleeping thanks to that email. She'd done everything she could to try and figure out who sent it to her but she had no clue. She wished she could show it to someone who knew more about computers but there was no way. She couldn't show anyone that picture.

Taylor's eyelids started drooping and she rolled her window down to try and wake herself up. That helped but not quite enough. She turned up the radio, frowning when she heard The Eagles' song 'Lyin' Eyes'. The Eagles were one of the few things her parents had in common. The few times they got along, she found them listening to music together and the Eagles were their favorite band. It seemed like she heard them every day when she was a child. She was about to change the channel when another Eagles song began to play. Peaceful Easy Feeling…She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard that song. For some reason she couldn't change it though. She turned it up, trying to figure out why it struck such a chord…Then she remembered the last time she heard it. She remembered her mom turning the radio on when they were packing. When she came into the kitchen that day…the song was already playing…

"_Mom you're bleeding," Taylor cried. She knew her mom would be mad. She was supposed to stay upstairs but she heard them yelling and she heard her mother scream. She couldn't just sit in the bathroom and wait._

"_Taylor I told you to stay upstairs," Nancy said through clenched teeth. There was blood running from the corner of her mouth and she was holding a knife. One of her fingers looked funny._

_Taylor couldn't see what her father was doing but something made her mother's eyes go wide, "Taylor go back upstairs."_

"_But Mom-"_

"_Taylor!" Nancy yelled. "Go Back Upstairs!"_

"_Taylor you stay right where you are," her father ordered. He turned toward her slowly, a scary smile on his face._

"_Go!" Nancy ordered._

"_Taylor, you know damn well which one of us to listen to," Frank said. "You stay right where you are."_

_Frank walked slowly toward Nancy and then his arm shot out. He grabbed her hair so hard she let go of the knife and it made a loud noise when it hit the floor. He kicked it away so hard it stuck into the bottom of the back door._

_He whispered something to her mom but Taylor couldn't hear what he said._

"_Frank.." Nancy cried. "Please."_

"_Taylor," Frank said calmly. "I hope you said a nice goodbye to your friends at school today."_

Taylor snapped back to reality and realized she was driving on the wrong side of the road. She gasped, her hands tightly gripping the wheel as she tried to get her car in the right lane…And then she saw him…standing on the corner. His eyes locked with hers. Those blue eyes that haunted her every moment of every day. They were the last thing she saw before her car slammed into a fence.

-----------------------------------

"What do you mean you lost it?" Matt stared. Jeff had pulled him, Jason, and Adam aside to explain to them why he'd been acting a little strange all day.

"I mean I cant find it," Jeff ran his hands through his hair. "It was in my gym bag and now it's not."

"Why the hell would you put it in there?" Matt stared. His brother could be careless at times but this was just not smart.

"Ease up Matt, he feels bad enough," Jason patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Viveca never has room for everything she packs. Usually when we're getting ready to go to the airport, she's bought so much she has to put some of her stuff in my luggage. She never goes in my gym bag, that's why it was in there."

"That was a smart place to put it," Adam said.

"Apparently not," Jeff said, frustrated.

Matt felt for his brother. He wanted to be hard on him but it was rare that he saw him look genuinely upset.

"Maybe somebody at the arena took it, or maybe someone from housekeeping. You never know."

"Adam, you're not helping," Jason glared at him.

Matt was glad Jason said something before he did. Adam's very presence just irked him lately. He stood up, patting his brother on the back, "Don't worry. We'll get another one."

"Not like that one," Jeff shook his head.

"Jeff, it's a ring, not a kid," Adam said. "If you don't find it, you can buy another one."

"It was custom made," Jeff said. "She told me once _exactly_ what she wanted if she ever got married. I couldn't find anything perfect so I went to a jeweler to have it made and then.."

"Then what?" Matt asked.

"I wanted it to be extra special," Jeff said. He looked at Matt, "You know granddad's watch? The one dad gave me?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded.

"I had one of the links taken out and melted down to be the inside of the ring," Jeff stood up, pacing back and forth.

"You did that?" it was Adam's turn to stare.

Jeff nodded, "And now it's gone."

"Fuck," Jeff kicked the side of the house.

Matt had never known Jeff to do something like that for anyone. He knew how important that watch was to Jeff so for him to want to give a part of it to Viveca..it was a big deal. And Matt was determined to figure out what happened to it.

"We'll find it," he promised his younger brother. "Don't worry."

-----------------------------------

Mark looked down at his phone again as he and Glenn pulled into the driveway. He told himself to stop doing it hours ago but he'd never been good at listening to his own advice. She had to call. It was his birthday for Christ's sake. She'd always made a big deal out of it. Even after they broke up. She always got him a present, or brought him a cupcake with a candle in it or..something. And she _always_ gave him a card. He usually hated birthday cards, Christmas cards, any of those things. He never did anything with them. But hers, he kept. Maybe that was it. She wouldn't call but there had to be a card.

Both men got out of the car and Glenn was taking long strides toward the front door. Mark wondered if the party was in the house or in the backyard. Knowing Cory it was in the yard. She'd done a good job of keeping everybody quiet though, he didn't hear anything. And she must have had them park somewhere else and walk over. He smiled, at least he knew she still thought his birthday was important.

"You comin'?" Glenn asked, hand on the doorknob.

"I'll be there in a second," Mark said. "I'm just gonna check the mail."

"You're gonna check the mail?" Glenn stared. "Just come in the house."

"I'll come in the house after I check the damn mail," Mark assured his friend.

"Alright, just hurry up," Glenn said, walking in and closing the door behind him.

Mark walked to the end of the driveway, quickly opening the mailbox and pulling out it's contents. He sorted through the envelopes, skipping past bills, credit card offers, everything that didn't have Dawn's handwriting on it. He rarely checked his mail so it was a lot to go through. He dropped some of it on the ground knowing the card had to be there. He knew Dawn. He knew even though things were rough she would reach out to him this one time. If she did, he knew things weren't over.

Mark's heart sank when he realized he was back at the first piece of mail. She didn't send anything. She hadn't called. Nothing.

He shoved the mail back into the box and slammed it shut, walking back toward the house. He walked in slamming the door shut behind him.

It was stupid of him to expect something. She'd shown him quite clearly that things were over. He needed to get it through his thick skull. It was hard though. Every woman he'd ever been with had felt more for him than he did for them. And now here he was, in love with a woman who didn't seem to love him anymore. He walked into the house, closing the door behind him and walking toward the backdoor. He needed to get this party over with.

Cory rushed up to him, stopping him, "Hey..you're back."

He nodded.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking panicked.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "What are you wearing?"

"Not important," she said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he insisted. He smiled down at her, "Now what'd you come rushin' over here for? And in cowboy boots."

He was trying but he could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't convinced. Fortunately, she wasn't going to push. She forced her own smile, "Close your eyes."

Mark closed his eyes and she took his hand, leading him toward the back door. She opened it leading him onto the deck and he immediately smelled barbecue. He could hear people moving around and when they finally stopped moving, Cory's hand tightened for a second and then he heard, "SURPRISE!"

He forced the biggest smile he could, looking down at Cory. She was looking up at him expectantly and he put an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close to him, "Thanks kid."

-----------------------------------

Taylor sat on a bed in the ER waiting for the doctor to come back. He'd gone to get her something he said would help her head. She hoped he hurried because she felt like someone hit her with a baseball bat right between the eyes. The last thing she clearly remembered was shopping for Mark's birthday presents but a nurse had informed her that her car hit a fence and that a young passerby called 911. She looked down at the tiny cuts all over her hands, they'd had to clean bits of glass out of a few of them. She frowned, then winced at the pain in her forehead. What the hell happened? She was a good driver, she never got into accidents, she never did anything wrong behind the wheel.

The curtain in front of her started to move and she looked up, hoping it was the drug wielding doctor. Instead she found herself looking into a familiar pair of blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

-----------------------------------

Chris sighed. He'd hoped that _maybe_

"The guy who found you called the last number that called your phone after he dialed 911," Chris explained. "He told me what happened and I came right away."

"What kind of person reaches into a crashed car for a cell phone?" Taylor narrowed her eyes. If he knew her, she wasn't ungrateful that the guy called, he just wished she'd called someone else. He didn't care what she wanted though. He was worried out of his mind when he found out she was in an accident and he wasn't about to leave just because she was holding a grudge.

"You didn't need to come," she stood up, her legs visibly shaking. "I'm fine."

She was wearing a hospital gown, her clothes sitting in a bag on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and when she straightened up she nearly fell and had to grab on to the side of the bed.

Chris reached for her but she moved away, "I said I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," he argued. Her hands were covered in scratches and cuts. The largest bruise took up almost half of her forehead and went around her left eye. Her honey blonde hair was a sharp contrast to her ghostly pale skin. She started pulling her clothes out of the bag and nearly fell again. Chris reached out to stop her, "Do you even know what happened?"

"Yes I know what happened," she insisted. "My car hit a fence."

"You were driving in the wrong lane, skipped the curb and went _through_ a fence. You stopped when you hit a tree," Chris said, shuddering at the thought. "If you weren't driving an SUV…"

Chris knew he didn't need to finish the sentence. She looked surprised and confused.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I don't remember," she answered. "Seems I have a _lot_ of trouble with my memory…I need to put my clothes on, you can leave."

"The doctors haven't said you can leave," he reminded her.

"I don't care," Taylor said. "I promised Cory I would help with the party."

"And you're obviously in no condition to do it," he argued.

She rolled her eyes and picked up her shirt then stumbled again.

Frustrated, Chris grabbed her arm as firmly as he could without hurting her.

"Listen to me Taylor, you have a concussion..You can be mad at me all you want and you can hate me if that's what makes you happy but right now you need to sit down before you fall and make things worse."

She looked like she wanted to argue but instead she sat down, looking away. He knew what a concussion felt like. Sometimes it was just easier to let someone help.

He picked up her purse, setting it beside her and then started folding her clothes, ready to put them aside until the doctor said she could leave.

"So..where've you been?" she asked quietly. "I didn't see you at all yesterday."

"I'm sure you enjoyed that," he said.

"Where were you?" she asked again.

"I don't think we need to talk about it right now," Chris said, turning to face her again.

A bitter laugh escaped her and the corner of her mouth quirked upward, "I'm sorry, are _you_ keeping a secret? Perish the thought."

"Taylor you are adorable when you're being dry and angry but I didn't say I wont tell you," he said. "Just not now. Not here."

She looked away again and then took a deep breath, "_Where_ is that doctor? I don't have all day here."

"Taylor just sit back down," he said gently, reaching for her arm again. She jerked it away and suddenly, her expression was blank.

-----------------------------------

Taylor felt as if the walls were getting closer and closer to her. The hall was becoming more and more narrow and Chris was getting farther away. She felt as if her feet weren't touching the ground, and then everything went black.

-----------------------------------


	50. Chapter 50

**Peeps, a very important note...In my rush to post chapter 49, I accidentally cut out a very important part of it which I have since added. Before you read this chapter, PLEASE PLEASE go back and read over the added section(s) of chapter 49. Thanks!**

**Moving on...in the coming chapters a lot of your questions will be answered, though I cant promise you wont have more questions. I have to thank you for the wonderful reviews, I really appreciate them and I love knowing everyone's theories, especially where Savannah is concerned. Okay no more babble, As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 50...**

John looked around at everyone sitting at the table. The party was just about over, most of the attendees had left for the hotel because they had flights in the morning. Now John, Mark, Cory, Jessica, Hunter, Jacinda, and Glenn were sitting around the table talking. Mark had been pretty quiet for a while. He hadn't really been himself all night. John had tried to joke around with him quite a few times and he laughed but he didn't seem genuine. John hoped that he wasn't really as miserable as he looked.

"Well everyone," Mark stood up slowly. "I better get on up to bed."

"What are you? A hundred?" Jessica teased.

"Very funny," he smirked. "I'm not as young as most of you anymore. Besides it's only 11 days to 'Mania and I gotta get all the rest I can before I beat this guy's ass."

Hunter laughed as Mark patted him on the shoulder, "Hey, that decision isn't final yet."

"It will be," Mark said. "You all know you're welcome to stay out here as long as you like and the guest rooms are yours."

"Thanks man," John raised his beer.

"Happy birthday!" Jessica and Jacinda both smiled.

"Thanks again Kid," Mark mussed Cory's hair before turning to walk into the house. "Goodnight."

"Well…that went well," Glenn frowned once Mark was inside.

Cory got up and went inside without a word. Jessica was right, she had been visibly stressed for most of the night. He couldn't even remember seeing her eat anything except a small piece of cake that Hunter had to force on her.

Hunter and Jessica both got up to follow her but John stopped them, "Let me."

"John," Jessie gave him a warning look.

"I know J," he assured her before walking into the house.

He spotted Cory at the bottom of the stairs and walked over, catching her just before she went him.

"Maybe he needs a little time by himself," he suggested, taking her hand. She pulled away from him, walking off into the living room. She picked her purse up off of the couch and started rifling through it. The lights were off in the room but he could tell that her eyes were watering. She pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed a number, pressing it to her ear.

"Cory-"

She put a hand up to silence him and he tried to ignore how much he _hated_ that because he knew she was upset. Whoever she was calling didn't answer and she hung up. He stepped forward when he saw that her hands were starting to shake as she tried to dial the number again. She paced back and forth and then stopped, making a frustrated sound through clenched teeth, hanging up again. Concerned, John reached to take the phone away from her but she yanked her arm away, "Leave me alone."

"No," he said, taking the phone from her and tossing it aside. "What is going on with you?"

"What's going on?" she looked at him with glassy eyes. "What's going on is that I busted my _ass_ to try and make this day perfect for Mark and Dawn couldn't even call him."

Her voice cracked and she and she was trying hard to hold back tears.

"Everything I did was for nothing because he was still miserable because she cant…" Cory shook her head, looking away. She was biting on her bottom lip, trembling as she struggled to keep from breaking down. John couldn't watch her like that and do nothing. He took her hand, pulling her against him. She resisted at first but he just wrapped his arms around her until she rested against him, her tears soaking through his shirt. He sat down on the couch with her next to him.

"I just wanted to help," she cried, her hand holding on to his wrist as he rubbed the side of her neck with his thumb, resting his chin on top of her head. "I'm trying so hard.."

"I know," John spoke against her hair, wishing he could make things easier for her. He hated seeing her upset. He figured it was best to just let her get it out and so they sat there for a few minutes. He kept his arms tightly around her and eventually her sobs were reduced to a sniffle.

"Cory, you are an amazing friend," he said quietly, his chin still on her head. "And Mark knows that no matter what, you have his back..You're always there for him. Dawn's gonna come around. Until she does, you can be there for him but don't beat yourself up like this…all this stress, it's not your fault. You know what I mean?"

John didn't get an answer, instead he heard Cory's even breathing and realized she'd relaxed considerably in his arms. She was asleep. He leaned back against the couch, trying to get comfortable. He could tell she hadn't been sleeping much and he wasn't about to wake her up. She needed the rest.

-----------------------------------

Taylor's head was pounding as she and Chris walked down the hall to her room. The doctor finally cleared her to leave but it was too late for her to go to Mark's and she was exhausted. She just wanted to go to bed. Having Chris at her heels wasn't exactly helping.

"I'm fine, you know," she said as they reached her door. "You can go."

"We need to talk," he said.

"No we don't," she said, annoyed. "We don't have anything to say to each other."

"Taylor I lied to our friends and said that you were in a fender bender so they wouldn't come up to the hospital," he reminded her. "You owe me."

She wanted to argue but he was right. She'd practically begged Chris to call Cory and apologize that Taylor couldn't make it, explaining that she'd had a minor accident and wasn't feeling well. She rolled her eyes, unlocking her door and walking in, holding the door open for him. She dropped her purse on the floor and walked to the couch, sitting down quickly. Her head was starting to spin again and she didn't want to fall. She'd fainted at the hospital, that was part of why the doctor made her stay so late. He would have made her stay overnight if she hadn't put up such a fuss.

He sat on the other end of the couch, looking like he was mulling over what he was about to say.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

"When I was gone..I was in Michigan," he admitted.

"What?" she stared at him. "Why?"

"There were some people that I needed to talk to," he said.

"About me," she looked away. She wasn't asking a question. She knew whoever he talked to, he was talking about her. She clenched her jaw angrily unable to even look at him.

"About you," he confirmed.

"Did you want proof that I'm a murderer?" she asked. 'Needed to hear the whole story?"

"That's not it Taylor," he insisted.

"Then what is it?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I wanna help," Chris said. "I wanna help you find out what happened."

"I don't need your help," she stood up.

"You need someone," Chris said. "Taylor, you cant do this alone."

She shook her head, "God I cant believe you."

"Do you remember anyone coming to your hospital room after the trial?" he asked.

She was caught off guard by the question, "What?"

"Do you remember anyone coming to your hospital room after your mom's trial was over?"

She frowned, "No, why?"

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"_I said no_," she insisted angrily. "Why?"

"I talked to Paula…she came to see you," he said.

"I don't remember that," she shook her head, beginning to pace.

"She said that when she was there, there was a man outside your room, looking at you," Chris said.

Taylor shrugged, "I was sedated, I barely even remember being there…It was probably a reporter, or maybe someone who worked in the hospital. I don't know."

Chris looked down at his hands and Taylor grew even more annoyed. What the hell else was he not saying?

"I went to see your mother," he blurted.

"You _what_?" she stared.

Taylor fumed, using every bit of will power she had not to throw something at him.

"She remembers you going in the bathroom, she doesn't remember you coming out," Chris said. "You couldn't have-"

"I came down to the kitchen," she said quietly.

"What?"

"I've been..I've been having these memories," she said. "I heard her screaming and I came downstairs. I saw them in the kitchen. I remembered it before I crashed today. That's why I got into the accident."

"Did you remember anything else?" he asked.

She shook her head.

Taylor couldn't deal with this anymore, not with her head pounding the way it was.

"Chris you need to leave," she said.

"Taylor I-"

"Please," she rubbed her temples. "Just go."

"Okay," he got up, walking toward the door. He opened it but stopped, turning to face her, "Call me if you need anything."

She turned her back to him, not responding to his request.

Once she heard him leave she dropped to her knees, running her hands through her hair. Why couldn't all of this just go away?

-----------------------------------

Adam looked at the box on the coffee table, trying to figure out what to do. He felt guilty, he did. He had no idea how much effort Jeff had put into the ring. He knew Jason would bite his head off if he found out who was responsible for it going missing. Fortunately, for once Jason didn't seem to suspect him.

It wasn't like he planned on keeping it forever or throwing it away or anything like that. He would give it back eventually. He just needed to buy some time. He looked at himself in the mirror hanging on the wall. He was a cliché, he could admit it. He hadn't realized just how much he wanted Viveca until he couldn't have her anymore. He was an idiot. He never should have pushed her to date Jeff. But he did and now he had to find some way to fix this. She wanted him first, she went out of her way to show him that. In his mind that meant that if he tried, there was a chance he could get her back. He just had to find the perfect opportunity to show her how he felt.

-----------------------------------

_1 Week Later…_

Hunter leaned back in his chair, ready to fall asleep. He'd had a hard time tearing himself away from his bed that morning and coffee wasn't helping his situation. Fortunately he wasn't alone. He and Cory were getting ready for an appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly. Hunter was pretty much dressed, although the show didn't start for an hour. Cory was sitting on the couch of the dressing room they were sharing, nowhere near ready. She wore sweatpants and an NYU t-shirt that was falling off of her shoulder. Her makeup was finished but her hair was still in huge rollers. She had her phone pressed to her ear but she was obviously not listening to whoever was talking.

"I know…..uh huh….uh huh….yup….okay…."

She looked up from her magazine, waving to get Hunter's attention.

"What?" he asked quietly.

She made a phone gesture with her hand and he laughed, "What?"

_Call Me_ she mouthed dramatically, making the phone gesture again.

_What_? He mouthed back, biting back laughter when she narrowed her eyes at him.

He smiled, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing her number.

"Oh darn, mother I have to go," Cory snapped her fingers. "No that wasn't sarcasm…Seriously, this is business, I have to go. ..Yes I know…Okay…See you soon."

She hung up the phone, smiling gratefully, "Have I ever told you how awesome you are?"

"Not lately," Hunter smiled. "I wouldn't mind hearing it."

She laughed, Do you know it is now 2 days until my mother comes to visit?"

"I've never seen someone dread seeing a parent so much," he walked over and sat on the couch next to her.

"You've never met the woman," Cory said. "Once you do, you'll understand."

"If you say so," he laughed.

"I do," she said. "Thanks for the call."

"Anytime," he smiled. "So…have you talked to John yet?"

She looked down at her magazine, absently turning the page, "No..not yet."

"You going to?" he asked.

"I…" she shrugged. "I don't really know. I mean, I appreciate him being there at Mark's party but…he's still the one who told me we should only talk business. I think that he should come to me if he's changed his mind."

"And if he does?" Hunter asked. "What then?"

She shrugged, "Then..then we see where things go."

-----------------------------------

"_Taylor! Go Back Upstairs!"_

"_Taylor you stay right where you are."_

"_Go!"_

"_Taylor, you know damn well which one of us to listen to. You stay right where you are."_

"_Frank…Please."_

"_Taylor..I hope you said a nice goodbye to your friends at school today."_

Taylor jumped when she heard hands clapping loudly near her ear. She turned to face Mark, putting a hand over her heart, "Yeah?"

"I said we're gonna stop and get somethin' to eat if that's alright with you," Mark said.

Taylor looked down at the itinerary. They had just finished a signing and he had to be at a photo shoot in an hour.

Taylor nodded, "We should have time."

"What is going on with you?" he asked, looking concerned.

She shook her head, "Nothing."

"Ya been actin' like a zombie for a good week now," Mark pointed out. "Sounds to me like _something_ isn't right?"

Taylor couldn't deny that. All she could seem to do was think about the memories she'd regained and that email, the man she saw before the accident, the mystery man in he room…all these things were swirling through her head all the time to a point where she could barely focus on anything else. She'd been taking almost obsessive notes about all of her dreams, everything her parents said, everything she saw, the time of day, the weather, _everything._ She'd tried desperately to remember more but it always stopped at her father telling her he hoped she said goodbye to her friends.

"Things still not going good with Chris?" Mark asked. "You need me to talk to him?"

She didn't even want to think about Chris, her brain was already taxed enough. Viveca had been pushing her to talk to Chris and let him help her but she couldn't. It wasn't as much about her anger anymore. She just needed to figure this out alone. These memories weren't things that she wanted to share with anyone. The things her father did to her, she didn't like to talk about. If she have to delve into her past, she was going to do it by herself.

"No," Taylor shook her head. "It's not him. I'm just..tired I guess. I haven't been sleeping well."

"These next few days are gonna be really busy," Mark patted on her the shoulder. "I want you to get in early tonight and get some rest and anytime you need a break, you just let me know."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "I'll get to bed early tonight, I promise."

-----------------------------------

Jason rubbed his hands together, settling into the booth and smiling at the hostess as she informed him that his server would be with him in a moment. There was no rush, if he knew Viveca she was going to be late. He'd told her he needed to talk to her about something important so hopefully she wouldn't be _too_ late.

Jason felt guilty for what he was about to do but…it needed to be done. He couldn't prove it but he just had a feeling Adam had something to do with her ring coming up missing. Obviously he couldn't tell her about that..but he had some things to say that she needed to hear. After a few minutes, she showed up, rushing over to his table, pulling off her scarf as she bent over to kiss him on the cheek, "Hey, sorry I'm late. Traffic is a bitch right around the hotel."

"It's okay," he assured her, getting up and pulling out her chair.

She pulled off her coat and draped it over the back of her chair, "So..what's going on?"

"Nothing much," Jason smiled, looking down at his menu.

"You sure?" she smirked. "I thought you said we needed to talk."

Jason sighed, putting the menu down, "Yeah..we do."

"Is this about Wrestlemania?" Viveca asked, looking annoyed. "Because they've changed the finish for this match like 5 times. I don't think I can handle it again."

"No, no, it's not that," Jason laughed. "It's..it's about Adam."

"Okay," she said. "What about Adam?"

"V, you know how Adam feels about you? Don't you?"

"We've been friends for a long time," Viveca shrugged. "I would hope he cares about me."

"He does," Jason nodded. "A lot."

"Okay…" she was obviously wondering where this was going.

"The thing is…remember how before you wanted Adam but things didn't work out?" Jason asked.

She nodded.

"Well now…Adam wants you," Jason said. "And I think he's pretty determined to try to make something happen."

Viveca laughed, shaking her head, "J..how dumb do you think I am?"

He waited, knowing she didn't want him to answer that.

"I've noticed how Adam's been acting," Viveca said. "He wants me now because he cant have me. He wants me because I'm so happy with Jeff and he feels like it's only because he made it happen."

Jason nodded.

"I appreciate you thinking this is a big deal," Viveca said. "But it's not. Adam can hope all he wants…but I love Jeff and he cant change that."

"Good," Jason smiled. "I just want you to be aware. Adam tends to play dirty."

"Let him," Viveca smiled. "He cant win."

-----------------------------------

John sat on the couch, flipping through the channels. He was tired as hell but he'd just gotten in from yet another media day and he hadn't wound down enough to sleep yet. He stopped channel surfing when he found a replay of Raw. It was at the part with Cory getting revenge on Randy for showing people their 'sex tape'. The angle had Cory outside the women's locker room where she was allowing people to view a tape from a different night where she said Randy wasn't exactly _rising_ to the occasion. She had a mischievous little smile on her face and quickly bit her bottom lip, counting her money as the show went to commercial.

He hadn't really had any time to talk to Cory since Mark's party. They did a quick scene together at the Raw taping but Jacinda rushed her off before he could ask how she was doing. He didn't know what she'd done to him but it seemed like every day, no matter how hard he tried to fight it, she was one of the first things he thought about in the morning and one of the last at night. He could deny it until the end of time and try to convince himself it wasn't true but…she meant a lot to him. They needed to talk.

"No time like the present," he said, picking up his phone and dialing her number. He walked around as it rang, stopping by the window.

"Hey you've reached my voicemail, leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Bye!"

"Hey Cory..I see you changed your voicemail back from Jacinda…a definite improvement," he smirked. "I uh..I was just calling because..I guess because there's a couple things I need to say. Um..I'm sorry for what I said about us just talking business from now on. That was stupid. I was mad and I didn't mean it. I don't know what's going on with you and Randy but…I just..I want me and you to get back on track. We were finally getting this right and I know it's my fault for having a big mouth..I'm gonna make mistakes, Cory, I cant help that but I care about you…a lot. And uh, I guess I just wanted you to know that. Give me a call when you get this. I'll see you soon."

He hung up the phone, feeling a lot better. It was easier to tell her his feelings when she wasn't interrupting at him or glaring at him like she wanted to knock his head off. He knew she'd get the message in the morning and hopefully she'd call him back and they could work things out. He was finally able to suck it up and tell her what he wanted..hopefully she could do the same.

-----------------------------------

Dawn stood up, looking at herself in the mirror. Her dark hair was pulled up into a messy, lopsided ponytail and she was wearing one of Mark's long sleeved Deadman Inc. shirts. The sleeves hung over her hands and the bottom was past her knees. She hadn't put on makeup in at least a week because she just didn't feel like it. She'd been exercising because the doctor told her to but that was about all she did and that was only for 45 minutes a day. She turned to the side, pulling the shirt to show the shape of her slightly protruding belly.

"I cant even blame it on you," she looked down.

Her laziness had nothing to do with her pregnancy. Truthfully, she was in a funk. She couldn't stop thinking about Mark. She thought that as the days went by, it would get easier. She was wrong. Everything reminded her of him somehow. And she kept replaying their last conversation in her mind. Mark was honest but he wasn't usually someone to lay his feelings out the way he had that day. And Dawn turned her back on him. He probably hated her. He had every right to. She even missed his birthday. She wanted to call him that day. She kept picking up the phone and she was so close to dialing the number but then she stopped, hanging up. She was scared. Scared of what he would say, scared of what he would think. Once she did tell him about her pregnancy, would he be able to forgive her for keeping it from him? Probably not.

John had called her the day after the party to tell him about Cory breaking down. Dawn leaned back, her eyes beginning to tear as she thought about how unfairly she was treating two of the people she loved the most. She was putting Cory in a horrible position and it was taking it's toll on her. This was supposed to be the happiest time of her life, her career was going great and she was one of the most prominent figures in the WWE's media campaign for Wrestlemania…but she was breaking down in tears because of the stress Dawn caused. And Mark…John told her that Mark was trying to put up a front but it was more and more obvious every day that he wasn't taking her absence well. He missed her and she missed him and Dawn wiped her eyes, beginning to come to terms with the situation. Sometimes a person needed to admit that their plan was failing. Sometimes a person needed to just swallow their stupid pride, get past their issues, and do the right thing. In this case, the right thing would be to tell Mark the truth and end all of this.

She sighed, rubbing her hand over her stomach. She knew what she needed to do. She just wasn't exactly sure how to do it. Or when.

-----------------------------------

"God in Heaven she's called again," Cory rolled her eyes, stepping out of her shoes as she and Jacinda walked into her room. "Can you put out a restraining order on your mother?"

"Not in this situation," Jacinda laughed. "Here, give me your phone, I'll check your messages."

"You're the best," Cory smiled.

"I try," Jacinda smiled. "You go take a shower, I'm gonna go grab something to eat. I'll clear this out and bring it back."

"Thanks," Cory yawned.

"Just doing my job," Jacinda smiled. "I'll be back with the food."

Jacinda left the room, dialing Cory's voicemail. There was two messages from her mother which Jacinda quickly deleted, followed by message from Regina. A few friends called wanting to make plans to meet up when Cory was in New York. Then Jacinda stopped walking when she heard John's voice.

"Hey Cory..I see you changed your voicemail back from Jacinda…a definite improvement. I uh..I was just calling because..I guess because there's a couple things I need to say. Um..I'm so-"

Jacinda didn't give him a chance to finish. She told John before that it was best if he and Cory kept their distance from each other. She thought he'd listened to her but apparently he hadn't. Now she had to put in a little extra work. She pulled the phone away from her ear, deleting the message.

-----------------------------------

Taylor woke up, looking up at the ceiling. She couldn't have been sleeping long, the room was still dark. She'd pulled the curtains closed but a faint sliver of moonlight slipped between them, illuminating a tiny portion of the room. She must have been sweating in her sleep because her hair felt like it was soaked. Her skin was clammy. She decided to get up and splash some cold water on her face, pushing the covers down. The second she pushed the covers away she was hit with crippling cold. She knew the windows were closed but her room was like an icebox. She wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering as she walked toward the bathroom door. She slowed her steps, looking around the room. Something didn't seem right. It shouldn't have been that cold and an odd smell was wafting up to her nose. It was like nothing she'd ever smelled before. She looked around for what could be causing it but she couldn't see well enough. When she finally reached the bathroom door she put her hand on the knob and then stopped. She couldn't explain why but all of a sudden her heart was beating faster and faster. She couldn't bring herself to turn the knob. She could hear herself breathing heavily and she stared down at her hand.

_What is wrong with you? Just open the damn door.._

She was being paranoid and stupid. She needed to just open the door, wash her face and go back to bed.

She took a deep breath and yanked the door open.

There was nothing there.

She laughed, shaking her head as she tiptoed on the cold tile floor, flipping on the light switch and quickly turning on the faucet. She cupped her hands under the water until they overflowed and then she bent down, dunking her face into the water. She was about to straighten up when suddenly the sink filled with water. She didn't have time to react, before she knew it, a hand had a tight grip on her hair and she was being forced down into the water. She instinctively tried to scream and her mouth filled with water. She flailed her arms, reaching back, trying desperately to dig her nails into the hand. She kicked backward, struggling to lift her head out of the water but her assailant was too strong. Her lungs were burning and she grabbed the attacker's wrist with both hands, digging her nails in as hard as she could. She was roughly yanked up and she gasped, lungs desperate for air, nearly collapsing. She opened her eyes, looking into the mirror and screamed when she saw her father's face.

"It's not that easy Taylor," he growled in her ear. "You'll never be rid of me, you understand?"

"Please," Taylor whimpered, struggling to get out of his grasp. "Please leave me alone."

"I told you a long time ago Taylor," he smiled at her. "You'll never _really_ get away."

"Help!" Taylor screamed desperately. "Somebody help me!"

"Nobody can hear you in your dreams Taylor," he said. "It's just me and you here. And I'm not goin' anywhere."

Taylor snapped awake with a gasp, her eyes open wide. Her heart was beating through her chest. She could feel tears running down her face and she her hands trembled as she tried to push her hair away from her face. She could do nothing but pull her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead against them. She couldn't take this. She couldn't do this. She felt like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She tried her best to calm her breathing, telling herself in her head _in through the nose, out through the mouth_ and after a minute or so she could feel her heart rate returning to normal. She lifted her head and frowned when she realized something was off. There was a beam of light going through her room, just like in her dream but it wasn't moonlight. It was artificial light. She slowly turned her head and saw the cause. The light was coming in from the hallway. Her door was open.

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	51. Chapter 51

**Peeps, the story is coming very close to it's end. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I apologize for it being short but the next chapter is another day and I didn't want to stretch this out _too_ much. Once again, thank you all so much for the reviews, I truly appreciate them. I'll get to work on the next chapter ASAP, hopefully it'll be posted by Friday or Saturday. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!!**

**Chapter 51...**

_Thursday…_

"Okay how does this look?" Cory turned around in front of Jessica, Jacinda, and Taylor. They'd been watching her try on outfits for almost an hour.

"Can I ask when you started caring when Adelle thinks?" Jessica smirked.

"Gram says that mother is making an effort by coming to the show despite her absolute hatred for my career choice," Cory sighed, frowning at herself in the mirror. "So I should try to make an effort too."

"You look nice," Jacinda said. "That's a good color on you."

Cory wasn't convinced. She liked the outfit but if she knew her mother, she'd find something wrong with it. Her heels weren't high enough. Her shirt wasn't the right shade of blue. Adelle could nitpick _anything_ to death. She blew her bangs out of her face, rolling her eyes at herself.

"I give this 'making an effort' thing like 10 minutes once you see her," Jessica laughed.

"That's positive thinking Jessica," Jacinda laughed.

"You haven't seen them around each other yet," Jessica laughed.

"Jessie, you are not helping put me at ease," Cory yanked the shirt off over her head, pulling on a red one she'd discarded earlier.

"Sorry," Jessica smiled. "You'll be fine. Just wear that."

Cory looked at herself in the mirror again and took a deep breath, still not satisfied. She turned around, "Taylor, what do you think?"

Taylor was looking out the window, her a blank expression on her face.

"Taylor?" Cory repeated. Still no answer.

Cory was worried. Taylor had been like this for a while now. She was getting paler by the day and the dark circles under her eyes were growing harder to ignore. Sometimes when Cory looked at her, she would see her hands shaking but when Taylor realized she was doing it, she stopped immediately.

Taylor finally seemed to notice that Cory was looking at her and she shook her head before asking, "Were you saying something?"

"Yeah," Cory nodded. "I need to take the dogs out for a second, can you come with me?"

She needed to talk to her friend and she didn't want to do it in front of Jessie and Jacinda.

"Sure," Taylor nodded, standing up. They made their way out of the room and down the stairs to the first floor where her dogs, Don Juan and Mr. Belvedere, were laying on the couch. They perked up when she reached the bottom of the stairs. She grabbed a pair of boots she'd dropped on the floor and pulled them on while Taylor put their leashes on. It was freezing outside so Cory pulled coats out of the closet for both of them.

-----------------------------------

Taylor kept her eyes on the floor as she, Cory, and the dogs made their way down to the first floor and past the doormen onto the street. She briefly looked up and, though Cory wasn't looking directly at her, she could see that she was concerned. Taylor couldn't blame her. She felt, and probably looked, like a zombie. She hadn't slept more than an hour a night since she woke up to find her door open in the middle of the night. She'd barely wanted to close her eyes. Every night she pushed furniture in front of her door and sat on her bed, back against the wall, watching it. She was terrified that they would find a way in. Whoever was messing with her head didn't have any problem getting into her room before, would a little furniture really stop them? Would anything stop them? She could feel the tears in her eyes again as she thought about it. She still couldn't figure out who it was. Every time she did manage to fall asleep she saw her father but..it wasn't him. It couldn't be. Could it?

"So.." Cory laughed a little. "I bet you're wondering why I dragged you out into the cold."

She waited for her to continue.

"Taylor," Cory stopped walking, turning to look at her. "What's going on with you?"

Taylor looked away, running a hand through her hair, "Nothing I..I have a flu bug, I think it's from all this traveling with Mark."

She looked back at Cory hopefully but was met with a skeptical smirk.

"A valiant effort," Cory said. "But try again…You don't have the flu."

Taylor didn't have the energy to think of another explanation.

"You can talk to me," Cory insisted. "I'm worried about you, so is Chris, and V. Hell anyone who looks at you can see something is going on."

"What did Chris tell you?" Taylor asked, her heart rate slowly climbing.

"Nothing," Cory shook her head. "Just that he's worried and you wont talk to him…And before you ask, no he didn't ask me to talk to you. I'm asking you what's going on because I care."

Taylor didn't know what to say. She couldn't understand why Cory would care. She couldn't understand why anyone would. She'd been feeling so much like that little girl lately. The little girl whose father never loved her, whose mother wouldn't see her. It didn't make any sense that these people she hadn't even known for a year were so concerned with her.

Cory looked defeated and she sighed, turning back toward her building, "I'm not gonna push you. I just want you to know that if you need to talk about anything..I'll listen."

"Thank you," Taylor tried her best to smile. "But I cant talk about it."

-----------------------------------

John put his weights back on the rack, half listening as Chris talked about the autograph signing he had the night before. He was trying to concentrate on his friend and his workout but his mind kept drifting. He'd been frustrated for days. Cory still hadn't called him. She must have gotten the message, it was already Friday. He wasn't going to call again. He already felt like an idiot. He needed to find out for sure though.

He looked over at Chris, remembering that he had also been on the 3 day Canadian tour with Cory and Matt Hardy.

When Chris was done talking about his signing, John waited a few seconds before asking, "So..how was the Canadian thing?"

"The Canadian thing?" Chris laughed. "It was pretty fun. We didn't get much sleep, we were out from dawn to dusk but it was cool…Cory was on the phone with her mom every five minutes. I don't know if I'm excited or scared to meet that lady."

"So she wasn't having any phone problems?" John asked.

Chris looked amused, "No, why?"

"Did she, maybe, say anything about me?" John asked.

Chris hesitated and then sighed, "No..not really. I mean, she got asked about you in our interviews but she didn't say anything outside of that."

John rolled his eyes, sitting down. He didn't know if he was more annoyed or disappointed. If she'd been on the phone that much she definitely got his message. He'd seen her checking her voicemail plenty of times, she wasn't a person who never got her messages.

"Cory likes you man, she just needs some time," Chris reassured him.

"Thanks," John said, though he wasn't convinced. He didn't know why he even bothered opening up to her. There was no point.

-----------------------------------

"So V's family is gonna be here tomorrow morning, right?" Jason asked.

Jeff nodded, "Yeah, she's practically bouncing off the walls. She cant wait to introduce everyone."

"I must say I'm anxious to see what kind of family could produce someone like V," Matt laughed.

"They're great," Jeff said. He smirked, nudging Matt, "She's got a sister."

"No thank you," Matt laughed. "I love V but _you're_ the one who wants to marry her."

"They're not that much alike," Jeff said. "You might like her."

Matt shook his head, "Change of subject…any news on the ring?"

Jeff's face fell and he sighed, "Nope."

Matt had called the arena and the hotel they were staying in at the time to inform them of the situation but didn't have any luck.

"I still cant believe I was so stupid," Jeff ran a hand over his hair.

"You were trying to keep her from finding it, you didn't expect it to come up missing," Matt reassured him. "V's the nosiest person I know, I would've done the same thing."

"I'm not gonna find it," Jeff said. "I might as well just go buy one."

"No, you went through _way_ too much trouble for that ring," Matt insisted. "We're gonna find it."

"How?" Jeff asked.

Matt looked down at his hands and then back up at Jeff, "Have you considered that someone you know could have taken it?"

Jeff looked at him as if he'd lost it, "What? No."

"It's possible," Matt reminded him. He knew that his brother didn't want to distrust his friends but he needed to accept the possibility. And Matt had a suspect in mind. "I think Adam took it."

"No," Jeff laughed. "I don't think he would do that."

"He doesn't want you guys to get engaged," Matt said plainly.

"I know he's jealous," Jeff agreed. "But I don't think he'd steal the ring just to keep me from asking. That's stupid."

"Who ever said Adam was a genius?" Matt asked. "Come on, how long have we known him?"

"A long time," Jeff said.

"And has he ever let anything keep him from something he wants?"

Jeff still didn't look convinced, "Adam may be an ass sometimes but he's our friend. I know he has a thing for Viveca but he wouldn't take the ring. And even if he had, after I told you guys all I did to get it, he'd give it back. He's not that much of a dick."

Matt decided to drop the subject. Jeff obviously wasn't going to believe him. But he was convinced that Adam knew something and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

-----------------------------------

Hunter watched as Cory paced back and forth, wringing her hands, both of her dogs right at her heels. Her mother and grandmother were supposed to arrive soon and she'd been pacing for at least 10 minutes. She'd asked him, Mark, and Jessica to be there with her and they were all sitting in the living room. Mark was watching a basketball game and Jessica was eating chips. Cory had told Jacinda and Taylor they could leave, claiming she didn't want to subject too many people to her mother at once. Hunter wasn't used to seeing his friend so nervous. She kept going back and forth between chewing on her thumbnail and putting her hands on her hips and chewing on her bottom lip.

"You should probably sit down," Hunter advised, standing up and patting her on the shoulder, stopping her from pacing.

"Don't bother," Mark laughed. "She'll just be back up again in five seconds."

"Are you guys sure this looks okay?" Cory looked down at herself. She was wearing a black shirt and a gray vest with a very tight, knee length gray skirt and heels. She'd dyed her hair again, this time the red tint was gone and her hair was all jet black, almost bluish in the light and she'd pinned her bangs back letting the rest flow in curls. She was wearing natural makeup and her full lips were coated with sheer red lip gloss. At least they were before most of it ended up on her thumb.

"Cory, you look fine," Mark insisted.

She frowned at the word 'fine' and Hunter put an arm around her shoulders, "You look beautiful. Relax."

"I need to redo my lip gloss before she gets here," Cory said.

"No you don't you-"

Hunter was cut off when he heard a high pitched bark coming from the hallway.

"Oh dear God she brought Pepper," Cory's eyes went wide.

"They're here already?" Jessica dropped her bag of chips. "You told the doorman to call when they came in."

"Mother probably paid him not to," Cory frowned. "She always has liked the element of surprise."

Jessica took a bite from another chip, beginning to look a little scared herself.

"Okay Mark, turn the game off," Cory said. "Hunter, you get my lip gloss. Jessie, get rid of the chips."

"But they're almost gone," Jessica whined.

Cory jumped when the door opened and the high pitch barking grew louder. She glared, "Who left the door open?"

"It's lovely to see you too dear," a blonde woman came into the living room carrying an incredibly fluffy black dog. She was about 5'7" with honey blonde hair cut in a short, sleek angled bob. She had grayish green eyes and lips that were just a little too full. She was wearing a fitted black suit with a skirt that stopped at her knees diamonds at her ears, neck, and wrist and, oddly enough, the exact same shoes as Cory. She barely had a wrinkle on her face, not a surprise from what Cory had told her about Adelle's fondness for cosmetic surgery.

"Stay away from the dog," Cory whispered to Hunter. "She's insane."

"I can see that," Hunter said as the Pomeranian briefly bared her teeth as Adelle set her on the floor.

"Hello everyone," Adelle flashed a mega watt smile as she walked further into the room.

"Hello Mother," Cory smiled uncomfortably.

Adelle hugged her quickly and then pulled away, taking a look at her, "Sweetheart what have you done to your hair now? And why aren't you wearing anything on your lips?"

Cory shot Hunter a sideways glance and he tried to hold back a laugh.

"You know those earrings I bought you for Christmas last year would have made that outfit," Adelle said. "The Christian Louboutins were a nice touch though."

"Thank you," Cory smiled, her teeth clenched tightly together.

"Jessica dear," Adelle turned, smiling at her.

"Nice to see you Adelle," Jessica reached out for a hug.

"Sweetheart I'd love to hug you but you just pulled your hand out of a bag of potato chips and grease and Valentino don't mix," Adelle smiled, giving Jessica a quick kiss on the cheek.

Jessica looked embarrassed and Adelle patted her shoulder, "You do look lovely though."

"Thanks," Jessica picked up the bag of chips balling it up and walking toward the kitchen.

"Mother, you remember Mark," Cory said.

"Mrs. Rutledge, nice to see you again," Mark held out his hand.

"Very nice to see you too Mark," Adelle smiled.

"And this is Hunter," Cory put her hand on his back.

"I know," Adelle smiled. "Very nice to finally see you in person. My goodness you have such _broad_ shoulders."

"Oh sweet Jesus," Cory mumbled.

"What?" Adelle asked.

"Nothing," Cory smiled, shaking her head.

"I do hope you're still considering the offer I made you," Adelle smiled.

"I am," Hunter nodded.

Cory shot him an angry look and he shrugged.

"I've seen a lot of your work on television, you are incredibly charismatic," Adelle said. "Just the type of talent I need at my agency."

"Mother," Cory smiled. "How about we take a quick break from soliciting my friends and have a seat, hm?"

"Dear you and your sister encouraged my business, you should appreciate that I'm always working," Adelle said.

Cory was obviously tense but she was still smiling, "Where's Gram?"

"She stopped to pick up some present for you," Adelle shrugged. "She'll be a little while."

"Jessie!" Cory called into the kitchen. "Bring out a bottle of wine!"

-----------------------------------

"I know mom," Dawn laughed. "I _know_….I wont have to fly, they'll still be in New York until Tuesday. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and then I'll go after that. It's not that long of a drive…I know you're happy…Okay…I should go, I'm pretty tired. I think I'm gonna take a nap…I love you too..Bye Mom."

Dawn hung up the phone, laughing as she sat on the bed. Her mother had called to check on her and was thrilled when she informed her that she would be going to New York on Sunday to have a talk with Mark. She wasn't exactly sure what they would talk about or how the talk would go but…it was time. She couldn't keep doing this. It wasn't fair to him or Cory. It wasn't fair to anyone. She wasn't going to tell them she was coming though. They were so busy getting ready for Wrestlemania and she didn't want to bother them. She planned on calling Cory to wish her luck on Sunday, she would let her know then.

Dawn put her hand over her stomach, "Let's just hope your father doesn't hate me for taking this long."

She couldn't imagine how Mark would react to the news. Hopefully he would be excited. Hopefully he wouldn't be angry at Cory for not telling him. Most importantly, Dawn hoped he could forgive her from keeping her pregnancy a secret. She didn't expect him to pull her into a kiss and ask her to marry him, she wasn't even expecting them to get back together. She just hoped that they could come to an understanding and prepare for their baby together.

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	52. Chapter 52

**Well peeps, I hope you enjoy these next two chapters better than the last one. I was only gonna post the one but I stayed up to finish 53 to make up for 51 being so short. The story is nearing it's end and there are lots of surprises to come. As always, Read, Enjoy, & Review!!**

**Chapter 52...**

"Will you stop touching my hair?" Cory swatted her mother's hand away. She was trying to put on lip gloss and her mother kept messing with her hair.

"You've got this one piece that wont stay in place," Adelle frowned.

"It's not bothering me," Cory said, looking at herself in the mirror. "I don't even know what you're talking about."

"I know dear but it's bothering me," Adelle reached for her again.

"Mother," Cory leaned away, pointing at her. "Back up."

"Fine, fine," Adelle rolled her eyes. "I'm just trying to help."

"Well can you help from over there?" Cory pointed to the couch. The Wrestlemania Press Conference was set to begin in 45 minutes and Cory couldn't concentrate on getting ready with her mother picking at her like a monkey.

There was a light knock on the door and then Jacinda leaned her head into the room, "Cory, you're needed for some pictures."

"Okay," Cory quickly finished her gloss and got up, exiting the room. As she walked she heard another set of heels clicking behind her. She stopped abruptly, not needing to turn around, "Mother? I did not ask you to come with me."

"You didn't ask me not to," Adelle smiled, standing in front of her.

"Driving me crazy is like a game to you isn't it?" Cory asked.

"Only sometimes," Adelle said. "You know, I've never been very fond of you in red, that's why I never let you wear it as a child."

Cory looked down at her red shirt and sighed, "Thanks. Good to know."

"Addie leave the poor girl alone."

"Oh thank God," Cory smiled, turning around and opening her arms. "Gram, you have impeccable timing."

Cory hugged her grandmother tightly. She hadn't expected to see her until the conference was over.

"Always have," Jeannette smiled, pulling back and looking at her, "And you look fantastic in red and any other color."

"Thank you," Cory smiled.

Jeannette turned, smiling at her daughter, "Addie, you look lovely this morning."

"Mother," Adelle smiled a tense smile. "You know I hate when you call me that."

"Yes I know," Jeannette smirked.

Cory could see Jacinda at the end of the hallway looking at her watch and she grabbed her grandmother's hand, "I've gotta take some pictures really quick, you should come watch."

Jeannette happily agreed, following Cory down the hall.

Cory could feel herself smiling from ear to ear. It was so nice having her grandmother around. Not only was she Cory's favorite person in the world, she was the only person who could get her mother to shut up.

"They just need you right over there," Jacinda pointed.

Cory stopped when she saw John. Jacinda was smart not to tell her he would be there. She definitely would have taken her time getting there for the pictures. He hadn't even called her after she embarrassed herself and broke down in front of him after the party. She should have known he wouldn't.

"So that's him, isn't it?" her grandmother asked.

"What?" Cory asked, looking over at her.

"The one that's got you tied up in knots," Jeannette smiled. "Seeing the look in your eyes, I'd bet everything I have that that's him."

-----------------------------------

John paced as he waited for Jacinda to get Cory. Shane had informed him that they needed pictures of him and Cory for the website. He wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing her after the whole message thing but work was work. He heard female voices coming around the corner and he tensed up waiting for her to come into view. He saw Jacinda first and then after a few seconds he saw Cory. She looked as frustratingly beautiful as ever. She'd dyed her hair and it flowed in loose curls past her shoulders. She was wearing a tight, low cut red shirt and black pants with white pinstripes. She was holding hands with an older woman with dark brown hair in a dark green dress who, when they got a few feet closer, John could see looked like an older version of Cory. They were the same height with the same cheeks, nose, lips, everything. The only difference was their eyes. It took John a little while but he finally recognized her as Jeannette Spencer. His mother was a huge fan of her movies from the 50's. People called her the brunette Marilyn Monroe in her early career then as she got older she became a pretty serious actress. Behind them was a blonde woman in a tight gray suit who looked very irritated.

He could see Jeannette looking at him and saying something to Cory and he wondered what she'd already heard about him. He really didn't want to go over and talk to them but his mother would kill him for not at least saying hello. He took a deep breath and walked over, "Ladies."

"John," Cory smiled somewhat uncomfortably.

Jeannette nudged her and she laughed, "John, this is my grandmother-"

"Jeannette Spencer," John finished for her, smiling at the older woman. "My mother is a very big fan."

"Well tell her I appreciate that very much," Jeannette smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," John smiled.

"And this is my mother," Cory's smile became much more tense. "Adelle Rutledge, this is John Cena."

"I've heard plenty about you from my daughter Regina," Adelle offered a small smile. He could tell from the way she held out her hand, she had a superiority complex. "Glad we could finally meet. I'm sorry to hear that you and my daughter are no longer seeing each other."

Cory's eyes widened in surprise and John couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't expecting anyone to bring that up.

"Yeah," John looked over at Cory. "So am I."

Cory looked confused and she cleared her throat, "_So_, we should get this started."

The photographer was waiting for them and she and John each pulled up a chair for her relatives before they walked away.

"Sorry about that," she said, not looking at him.

"It's okay," John said. "You've told me stories about your mother. I was expecting her to bite my head off and spit it out."

"She might later," Cory sighed. "After she's done ruining this weekend for me."

-----------------------------------

Viveca checked her clothes one more time and then turned to face Matt.

"V, you look fine," Matt laughed. "Will you quit fussing around, they're gonna be here any minute."

"I know..that's _why_ I'm _fussing around_ as you so eloquently put it," she teased. She sighed, wringing her hands. "You think I'm crazy for being nervous, don't you?"

"I always think you're crazy V," Matt smirked. "But for this, no. A lot of people get a little antsy when they know their family's coming. You're probably just scared the rest of us will embarrass you."

"Good point," she laughed.

They heard loud laughter in the hall and Matt could see a huge smile take over Viveca's face. He stood up, prepared to be on his best behavior.

Jeff rounded the corner arm in arm with Viveca's mother.

"Look who I found," Jeff smiled, leading her into the room. They were followed by two very tall young men. One was tall and lanky with unruly black hair wearing a band t-shirt and jeans. The other was much more clean cut wearing a dark blue suit.

"Matt, this is my mother Lorraine," Viveca began the introductions. "This is Jeff's brother Matt Hardy."

The older woman smiled warmly, shaking his hand.

"Very nice to meet you," Lorraine smiled.

"You too," Matt smiled. "Glad you could make it."

"My brothers Liam and William," Viveca continued and he shook hands with each man.

"Where's Li?" Viveca frowned.

"She had to use the little girl's room," Lorraine explained.

"Thank you Mom, it was totally necessary for you to share that," the missing sibling entered the room.

Matt turned and hoped he didn't look too dumbfounded when he saw her.

"Matt, this is my sister Lianna," Viveca smiled.

This girl was gorgeous, plain and simple. She was slender but not stick thin, probably about 5'5", with dark brown hair. She wore a brown turtleneck and a short, khaki colored skirt with brown boots and a khaki knit cap on top of her long waves. Her eyes were big and green like Viveca's but they had an unusual rim of dark blue around them and she had thick dark lashes. She and Viveca looked alike but her nose was a little different and her lips were fuller.

He didn't realize how long he'd gone without saying anything until Jeff nudged him in the side.

"I'm Matt," he extended his hand to her. "Matt Hardy."

"I heard," she smile, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

-----------------------------------

Taylor yawned, her eyelids drooping as she typed in her email password. She was exhausted beyond belief but she still couldn't sleep. She couldn't think about it though, she had some work to do.

She went through some of the emails deleting the unimportant ones and taking down notes from the others. She had a few phone calls to make and then she promised Viveca she would go out to eat with her family. She was going to have to allow some time to try and make herself look less like a zombie.

She was about to close her email when a black box popped up. She assumed it was just some annoying and was ready to close it until a video began to play. It was a road, Taylor wasn't sure where. She frowned, trying to figure out what the hell it was. Then, she tensed when she recognized her rented truck. The view slowly zoomed in on her face and she could see her eyes going wide. Then, she saw herself swerving and then jumping the curb, hitting the fence. She could see the young man who'd run to the car to help her. She slammed the laptop shut, not wanting to see anymore. Who the hell shot that video? And how did they hack into her computer?

She couldn't take this anymore. This had to stop. She knew what she was going to have to do.

-----------------------------------

Jessica was trying to decide if she wanted to hold her title belt in her hand or drape it over her shoulder when she walked out when she heard someone calling her name.

She turned around, smiling when she saw Viveca trailed by people who looked too much alike not to be her family. She'd told Viveca to make sure she introduced her. They'd been friends for a long time and she was excited to finally meet her relatives. Viveca was probably giving them a tour since she didn't have to be involved in the conference because she was 'kidnapped' on Smackdown and couldn't be seen in public until Sunday.

"Hey," she smiled, putting the belt down on the equipment trunk next to her and giving Viveca a quick hug.

"Everyone this is Jessica," Viveca smiled. "Jessie, this is my mother Lorraine, my sister Lianna, and my brothers William and Liam."

"Nice to meet all of you," Jessica smiled, shaking hands with each of them. She noticed that the oldest, William, didn't let go of her hand right away. He wasn't holding it too tightly but he wasn't dropping it either.

"_Very_ nice to meet you," he smiled, looking into her eyes.

"Thank you," she laughed a little, feeling slightly self conscious under his gaze.

"You are absolutely beautiful," he marveled.

She laughed, "Thank you."

"William, I told you both the women are work with are off limits," Viveca pointed.

"I was just giving her a compliment V," William shrugged, smiling. "She didn't seem to mind. Do you Jessica?"

"No," she laughed, shaking her head. "Not at all."

Jessica couldn't say she had a problem with someone calling her beautiful. William was a good looking guy. Tall, lean, square jaw, very well dressed. Unfortunately, he wasn't her type. He looked a little too buttoned up. The guys she was usually interested in looked more like…

"Did someone forget to invite me to the party?"

Jessica smiled when she heard Hunter's voice. She turned, waving when she saw him walking over with his belt on his shoulder. It was good to see him, she hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him in days.

"Just in time," Viveca smiled and introduced him to her family.

Hunter took off his sunglasses as he shook hands with the family, "Great to meet all of you."

They talked for a few minutes and then Viveca and her relatives left to continue their tour.

"You look nice," Hunter smiled at her.

"Thank you," she said, feeling an unfamiliar flutter in her stomach. Actually it wasn't _that_ unfamiliar. Ever since she broke up with James, Hunter seemed to become more attractive every day. Cory had told her to figure out what she wanted and she was beginning to think she knew. Now she just had to tell him.

-----------------------------------

Savannah watched him closely. She wanted desperately to just reach out and touch him. To say something to let him know she was there. It was only a few days. Only a few days before she set her plan in motion. When she first decided to carry it out, she thought that when the time came she might have some second thoughts but…she didn't. She was never more sure of anything. Except that she loved him. And he took her heart. He may as well have pulled it right out of her chest. She could find a way to forgive him. But first she had to show him how it felt.

-----------------------------------

_A Few Hours Later_

Cory laughed as Hunter told her about he and Mark offering to arm wrestle to help the writers decide who would win their title match. They'd decided to go out for Chinese food for a late lunch so that Cory could get a little time away from Adelle.

"I think we both know Mark would have won," Cory smirked.

"Hey, I will have you know that I have beaten Mark in many a drunken contest," Hunter pointed at her with an egg roll.

"Mmhmm," she laughed.

"Just because you think he's a hero doesn't mean he cant be beaten," Hunter said.

"Whatever you say," she laughed, putting more fried rice on her plate.

"So..Your mother is um..interesting," Hunter said, taking a bite of the egg roll.

"That's very polite of you Hunter but she's not here, you can say what you want to say," Cory smiled. "She's completely insane..and _quite possibly_ hitting on you."

Her mother had been showing Hunter an inordinate amount of attention and, in Cory's opinion, it was starting to get a little weird and, in a way, amusing.

"No way," Hunter laughed. "Your mother is not hitting on me."

"Oh yes, I believe she is," Cory laughed. "But don't worry, she's not trying to make you hubby number 7. She only beds the young hot ones, it's usually the old crotchety ones that she marries."

"That's not funny," Hunter tried not to laugh. "And did you just call me hot?"

"I might have," she laughed. "Anyway, back to my mom trying to get in your pants."

"Can you not word it that way?"

"But it's not funny if I word it any other way," Cory laughed. "And don't try to tell me that she's just trying to get you to let the agency represent you. This isn't her usual business flirting. This is different."

"You know, I think it's time for a subject change," Hunter laughed. "I heard you had to spend a little quality time with John this morning."

"We had to take some pictures before the conference," Cory shrugged, looking down at her food. "It wasn't anything big."

"And I can see by your expression that it went great," he said.

Cory rolled her eyes, "My grandmother could see the second she saw me look at him that there was something between us. Sometimes I feel like he's this amazing guy and other times I cant stand him. One second I feel like he cares about me, he sleeps on a couch with me because I'm upset and then the next second he seems indifferent."

"He's not indifferent," Hunter said. "That is the last word you could use to describe how John feels about you."

"Then why didn't he call?" she asked, frustrated. "He was the one who shut me down when I finally tried. If he cares, if he'd changed his mind, he would have said something, right?"

Hunter looked like he didn't know what to say. He was a good friend and she could tell he didn't want to hurt her feelings or disappoint her.

He shrugged, "I see what you're saying. And you would think that he would call or say something if he'd changed his mind but..I just don't think you should write him off. He's a good guy and he does like you. He's just as busy as you are not to mention just as confused. You have to admit you are a very hard person to figure out."

"But if _you_ liked someone who was difficult like me, would you just give up because things didn't go your way right away?" she asked.

Hunter shook his head, "No. Not if she was worth it."

-----------------------------------

Matt looked around the table, listening as everyone made fun of Viveca. Since she wasn't supposed to be seen in public before the show that night, she was sitting at the table wearing huge black sunglasses and her hair was tucked under one of Jeff's baseball caps.

"So..is Trish Stratus single?" Liam smiled.

"Don't worry about that," Viveca said. "You're too young for her."

"I've dated women her age," Liam said, a cocky smirk crossing his face.

"When?" Lorraine looked shocked.

"Don't worry about it Ma," Liam put an arm around her shoulders. "It's not important."

"I don't know Liam, I'm a little curious," Jeff laughed.

"Leave the boy to his delusions," Viveca smiled.

Matt could tell from being around them for a few days that Viveca's family had totally accepted Jeff. They all seemed comfortable laughing and joking with him. It was pretty obvious that Liam was already starting to look up to him. They all seemed very cool. Liam was a first year college student and an encyclopedia where obscure music was concerned. William was a corporate lawyer but surprisingly laid back and very funny. Lianna was..interesting. She was obviously intelligent and she had a very sarcastic sense of humor. But when he'd asked what she did she just shrugged and said 'nothing interesting'. Now that he'd gotten a good feel for the family and could see that they more than approved of his brother, he had an idea. He needed a little help figuring out what to do about Adam and he was pretty sure he knew who could help.

"Lianna?" he looked over at her.

"Yeah?" she looked up from her plate.

"Can I talk to you outside for just a second?" he asked.

She looked a little surprised but shrugged, standing up and picking up her coat, "Sure."

"Don't hit on my sister Matt," Viveca teased.

"Very funny V," he picked up his own coat. "We'll be back in just a second."

They walked outside and Matt sat down on a bench, patting the seat next to him. She sat beside him, zipping her coat.

"So..you seem to like my brother," Matt observed.

She nodded, "He's a good guy. He obviously loves my sister."

"He does," Matt agreed. "In fact..he's planning on asking her to marry him."

"He is?" she smiled. "That's great."

"It is. He got the ring and everything," Matt said. "But there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"The ring's gone," Matt said.

"Gone?" Lianna asked. "It was stolen?"

"I think so," Matt nodded. "See, Jeff was keeping the ring with him because V is such a big snoop."

She looked a little irritated when he called her sister a snoop but she didn't stop him.

"He had it in his bag at an arena one day," Matt sighed. "We were out of the locker room for a while, when he got back to the hotel, he couldn't find it."

"He put an expensive ring in a gym bag in a public area and he's shocked that it's gone?" she asked.

"He only put it there because your sister is so nosy," the words were out before he could stop them.

"Excuse me?" she stared.

"Okay look, we're getting off track," Matt put his hands up. "Did you meet Adam Copeland when V was showing you around yesterday?"

She nodded, "Yeah I remember meeting him. I didn't like him very much. He was trying a little too hard to impress us."

"He and Viveca are friends, very good friends," Matt said. "And there was a time when V wanted them to be more. Everybody knew Adam did too but he didn't want to ruin their friendship so he kept avoiding the subject whenever she tried to bring it up. He started pushing her to give Jeff a chance and eventually she did, that's how they ended up where they are now."

"And I'm guessing once Adam realized she was in love with Jeff, he decided he wanted her for himself," Lianna rolled her eyes.

"Very perceptive," Matt nodded.

"And you think that he's the one who took the ring?" she asked.

Matt nodded, "Right again."

"Well, there's only one way to know for sure," her eyes took on a mischievous glint. "You up for a little breaking and entering?"

Matt was surprised. He hadn't expected her to make that suggestion.

"I like the way you think."

-----------------------------------

"I'm an idiot," John paced back and forth in Mark's room.

"And why are you an idiot?" Mark asked, slightly amused. John was usually such an easygoing, laid back guy. It was sort of funny to see him so tense. He knew something was up when his friend showed up at his door saying he needed to talk to him about Cory.

"I kept looking over at her during the press conference," John said. "I couldn't help it."

He certainly wasn't lying. Mark had noticed it when he was watching on the monitor. He wasn't involved until the end so for most of it he sat in the back. John and Cory had to sit next to each other and while he kept sneaking glances at her, she was doing her best not to look at him at all.

"It's fine, it works with the angle," Mark shrugged. "The fans think you have a thing for her anyway. I'm sure Vince loved it. Besides when it came time for you and Randy to talk, you were right on."

"It's not just that though," John shook his head. "You know, I have never in my entire life had this much trouble with a woman."

"Women are trouble," Mark smirked. "They're here to drive us crazy, to mess with our heads. That's part of what makes them so great though. Can you imagine what life would be like without any of them?"

"She's not average woman difficult," John stopped pacing, plopping down on the couch next to him. "She doesn't make _any_ sense."

"You met her mother," Mark laughed. "She's entitled to be a little screwy."

"It's just..I tried," John said, frustration evident in his voice. "I told her point blank as clearly as possible that I was sorry for what I said and I wanted to try to work things out. I've told her before that I want to give this a shot and she never bites. Why do I keep trying? Why should I do all the work?"

Mark was about to tell him all the reasons that it was worth it. The list was on the tip of his tongue but then he thought about Dawn. He thought about how much it hurt him when he kept trying and trying and she just wouldn't give in. She wouldn't see his side and try to work things out. He sighed, looking over at his young friend, wondering if John was setting himself up to deal with the same pain. He had a feeling that at some point he would regret what he was about to say but that didn't stop him.

"You know John..maybe Cory's just..not ready right now. Maybe it's just time to let it go."

-----------------------------------


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53...**

_Sunday…_

Cory smacked her phone hard, trying to stop the alarm. She needed to sleep at least another hour. Don Juan barked at her in annoyance as she slapped the nightstand again.

"Oh you be quiet, she opened her eyes to glare at him. He barked at her again and between that and her phone still going off, she knew it was time to get up, at least for a little while. She sat up slowly, rubbing her face with one hand and picking up the phone with the other. She frowned when she realized the alarm wasn't going off. The phone was ringing.

"Hello?" she mumbled, pressing it to her ear.

"Good morning," she heard Dawn's voice.

"D," Cory smiled. "You know if it was anyone else I would hang up right now."

"Glad you still love me," Dawn said.

"I always will," Cory said. "Even though you drive me crazy."

"Well hopefully I wont be driving you crazy too much longer," she said.

"What does that mean?" Cory asked.

"Nothing," Dawn dismissed the statement. "I'm calling to tell you how amazing your match is gonna be tonight."

"I'll just be happy if I don't get hurt," Cory said. "You remember what happened the last time I had a street fight with Portia."

"You'll be great," Dawn insisted. "You know..I am so proud of you."

"Thanks Dawnie," Cory smiled, genuinely touched. It meant a lot to know that Dawn was proud. "So…how's my niece or nephew?"

"Been better," Dawn answered. "Food doesn't seem to want to stay down this morning."

"Are you okay?" Cory frowned, concerned.

"I'm fine, it's normal," Dawn said. There was a pause and then Dawn took a deep breath, "Speak of the devil…I'm gonna let you go…But listen, you're gonna be amazing today. I promise."

"Thanks D," Cory smiled. "Feel better. I'll call you after the show."

-----------------------------------

"You're _sure_ he's at the gym?" Lianna asked as she slid the keycard into Adam's door.

"Positive, I checked before we got the key," Matt said.

"Before _I_ got the key," she corrected.

"Right, by making the guy at the front desk think you were a groupie," Matt said.

"I didn't see you coming up with a better idea," she said, smiling as she pushed the door open. "Ladies first."

"Has anybody ever told you how funny you are?" he asked dryly.

"All the time," she followed him into the room.

"We need to make this quick, we usually don't work out for too long on a big day like this," Matt said.

"Well then I suggest you get to work," She said, picking up a suitcase and dropping it onto the bed. "I'll start with this one."

_20 Minutes Later…_

"It's not here," Lianna sat on the floor, shoving Adam's things back into the third suitcase she'd looked through. While she handled the luggage, Matt had searched the room.

"It's gotta be here somewhere," Matt said. "I _know_ he has it."

"Well do you know _where_ he has it?" she asked, standing up and brushing off her knees. "Because I don't see it."

"Did you look through all the pockets and everything in the bags?" he asked.

"No, I just figured I'd skip those," she rolled her eyes.

"Okay fine, you're right, maybe it's not here," Matt sighed, looking around the room.

They put everything back where they'd found it and were on their way to the door when she stopped abruptly, causing him to run into her.

"Ouch," she turned around.

"That was your fault," he pointed.

"Whatever," she pushed his hand out of her face. "There's one place left."

"Where?"

She pointed to the bathroom.

"Seriously?" he stared. "_Why_ would it be in the bathroom?"

"It would be weird but it's possible," she said. "You're the one that said it _has_ to be here, right?"

"Worth a shot," he shrugged, opening the door. She followed him into the bathroom, looking around. They both spotted the small velvet box on the edge of the sink at the same time and reached for it.

"Give it to me," he pulled.

"No, you give it to me," she said. "It was my idea to come in here."

"It was my idea to break in here," he argued.

"No it was _my_ idea to break in here," she insisted.

"I thought of it before you said it," he pulled.

"What are you? A first grader?" she pulled again.

Matt didn't even know why he cared who had to box but for some reason he just couldn't resist arguing with her. They both kept pulling and pulling until the ring box flew out of both of their hands. They both reached out to catch it but bumped heads and missed.

"Jesus, you have a hard head," he rubbed his forehead.

"You're one to talk," she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Where'd it go?" he looked around the floor but didn't see it.

"Um…" she winced. She pointed at the toilet, "I think it's in there."

They got closer and sure enough, the box was under water.

"Well…get it," she pointed.

"You get it, you dropped it in there," he said.

"You know what, this is ridiculous, the water's clean," she rolled her eyes, kneeling beside the toilet. "_I'll_ get it."

She leaned over, pushing up her sleeve but then she sat back, looking up at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"That's not it," she shook her head.

"What do you mean that's not it?" he asked.

"Look," she pointed. "It's cufflinks."

"Cufflinks?" he followed her direction, frowning when he realized she was right. The box had popped open and there was no ring, just a pair of silver cufflinks. Adam had most likely worn them for the Hall of Fame dinner.

Lianna stood up, rubbing her nose again.

"You're not gonna get them out?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Clean or not, I'm not reaching into a toilet if I'm not gonna get anything out of it..Come on, let's get out of here before he comes back."

-----------------------------------

John kept playing his conversation with Mark in his mind. Mark was probably right. And he should probably listen. But was he really ready to just let it go? Could he just stop thinking about Cory when he had to see her almost every day? Would he just stop wanting to be with her when she was so close?

He wasn't sure he could. He wasn't a hundred percent sure he wanted to.

Maybe he needed to try again. He felt like an idiot and maybe he wouldn't do it that very day but..his dad told him once that anything worth having was worth working for. And he had the feeling that, crazy as she made him, Cory was worth working for. He wasn't sure exactly what it was going to take. And right now he needed to focus on his match. But once Wrestlemania was over…he and Cory were going to have to talk, face to face. She couldn't ignore him then.

-----------------------------------

Jason put his bag down in the locker room, sitting down beside it and taking a deep breath. He was probably the first person on the roster to show up at MSG that morning but he couldn't sit around at the hotel all day. He was too antsy. His anxiousness wasn't only brought on by the TLC match he would participate in that night. He'd been driving himself crazy for a couple days over his conversation with Viveca. He was feeling guilty. He knew that what he said was true and that Viveca needed to know but…flawed as he was, Adam was his best friend and he felt like he sold him out. He was actually considering telling Adam what he did just to alleviate his guilt. They'd been friends too long not to be honest with each other.

Jason looked up, surprised when he heard someone rushing down the hall. Within seconds, Adam came into the room, dropping his bag on the floor.

"Hey," Jason stood up, surprised.

"Hey, I was looking for you," Adam said, his eyes a little wide. "I need to talk to you."

"I need to talk to you too," Jason said.

"Okay but me first," Adam said, sounding a little out of breath.

"No I really need to-"

"I took the ring," Adam blurted.

"Excuse me?" Jason stared in disbelief.

"Jeff's ring," Adam ran a hand through his hair. "I kinda..I took it."

"_What_?" Jason stared.

"I took-"

"I heard you dumbass!" Jason exclaimed. "I just cant believe you would do that."

Any thought Jason had of telling Adam what he did flew out the window. He couldn't believe he actually thought that there was a possibility that he _hadn't_ done the right thing.

"I didn't plan it!" Adam exclaimed.

"Oh what? It just happened?" Jason asked.

"Pretty much," Adam nodded.

"You have got to be kidding me," Jason shook his head. "You sat there and listened to Jeff tell us how important that ring was to him and you've seen him tearing himself up over losing it and this whole time you've had it."

"Yeah," Adam winced. "Except now…I don't. It's gone."

"You're an idiot," Jason pointed.

"You gotta help me find it Jay," Adam pleaded. "I don't know what happened. I think somebody stole it from my room."

"_Why_ should I help you find it?"

"I was gonna give it back," Adam insisted.

Jason gave him a disbelieving look.

"Okay I was gonna say I found it," Adam admitted. "Either way, he was gonna get it back."

"When?"

"Soon," Adam said unconvincingly.

"This is _your_ problem," Jason pointed. "_You_ fix it."

"You're seriously not gonna help me?" Adam asked.

"Why would you do something like that Adam?" Jason asked.

He didn't answer.

Jason shook his head, "You really think stealing a ring is gonna get Viveca to choose you over Jeff? You _lost_ Adam. It's your own damn fault. She loves him. He loves her. Get over yourself. Grow up."

-----------------------------------

"Now Hunter I just cant understand why someone as good looking and talented as you would be single," Adelle smiled, putting her hand over his.

Cory rolled her eyes, opening her water bottle. They were sitting at a table near catering and she was trying to figure out when she was going to force her mother to go to her seat and wait for the show to start. She was surprised nobody was begging her to make Adelle leave yet. Especially Hunter.

"I just uh..haven't found the perfect girl I guess," Hunter shrugged.

"And what exactly do you want in this..perfect girl?" Adelle smiled, scooting a little closer to him.

"Um..I don't know really," Hunter laughed, obviously growing a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh come on," Adelle moved her hand further up on his arm. "You have to have some idea."

Cory stood up, knowing she needed to stop this before her mother did something that would scar her for life, "Mother..I need to see you alone for just a second."

"But honey I'm talking to Hunter," Adelle argued.

"Hunter has things to do," she grabbed her mother's hand, pulling her out of her chair. "Come with me."

Cory pulled her mother behind her until she found an empty conference room and pulled her inside.

"Okay Mother, I get it if you're having problems with Richard or whatever but this hitting on Hunter thing is seriously starting to weird me out," Cory said as Adelle sat down. "And I understand that saying things that are inherently disturbing to me has never bothered you in the past but this is kind of an important day so if you could-"

"You think I'm hitting on Hunter?" Adelle smirked.

"Uh _yeah_, I know you are," Cory nodded.

"Sweetheart, Hunter is wonderfully attractive," Adelle smiled. "I don't deny that but I don't want him for myself. He's not my type."

"Then what's with you acting like even more of a cougar than usual?"

"Don't call your mother a cougar," Adelle pointed. "And I'm scouting him."

"For work? Jesus, he told you he'd think about-"

"For you," Adelle interrupted.

"What?" Cory asked.

"He's perfect for you," Adelle smiled.

Adelle said at least one incredibly confusing and out of left field thing a day and this was definitely it.

"Are you insane?" Cory asked. "Is this a joke? Because you're not very good at jokes."

"It's not a joke and I'll have you know I have a fantastic sense of humor," Adelle said defensively.

"Okay delusions aside Mother..Hunter and I are friends. _Friends_. That's it."

"Because you've never _tried_ to be anything more," Adelle pointed.

"Because I don't want to, and neither does he," Cory laughed. "He likes Jessie."

"Oh Corinne," Adelle smiled, touching the side of her daughter's face. "No he doesn't."

"How would you know?"

"You may think my brain is filled with silicone and botox but I think we can both agree that if there's anything I do know with documented expertise it's where a man's interests lie and Hunter's are _not_ with your sister."

"Okay you have _no_ idea what you're talking about," Cory shook her head. "Can we change the subject please?"

"Why?" her mother asked. "You aren't seeing anyone? What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that I have a lot on my mind right now and none of it has to do with Hunter," Cory insisted.

"Well if not Hunter then who?"

"I am not talking about this with you," Cory stood up, pacing.

"Why not? You can talk to me."

"No, really, I cant," she shook her head.

Adelle rolled her eyes, "Oh _please_ tell me you're not hung up on that John."

"I'm not," Cory turned away, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Good," Adelle smiled. "Because that would never work."

-----------------------------------

"I think you have officially met and hugged everyone I work with," Viveca laughed as she walked Lorraine down the hall.

"What can I say?" Lorraine laughed. "Some of them looked like they weren't hugged as children. Especially that Taylor. My goodness, that gorgeous girl, I just want to take her home and feed her."

"I know what you mean," Viveca nodded.

They were a few doors down from the locker room when her mother stumbled and put her hand on the wall to steady herself. She looked incredibly dizzy all of a sudden.

"Mom," Viveca put an arm around her to keep her up. "Are you alright?"

Lorraine nodded and, after a few seconds, looked over at Viveca, smiling, "I'm alright dear, just had a dizzy spell. It's probably from all the excitement. I cant tell you the last time I was around this many men."

Viveca tried to laugh but she was worried. This wasn't the first time her mother didn't seem to be feeling well since she'd arrived and she thought back to the pills she caught her taking after the funeral. She was hiding something. And Viveca wanted to know what the hell it was.

-----------------------------------

Dawn walked slowly out of the bathroom, holding a hand over her stomach. She was dizzy after her third round of vomiting for the day.

"You know baby, you really have to work on your timing," she patted her stomach before sliding onto the bed. She already had her TV seat on the Wrestlemania pre-show. She couldn't wait for the show to start. She was most excited to see Cory's match. She wished that she could be there for the biggest day of her best friend's career but even if she had planned on going there was no way she would have made it. She was just too nauseous. She'd ordered a pizza earlier in the day and she was actually dreading it's delivery. She didn't even want to smell food. She opened a pack of crackers, focusing on the TV as they aired clips of the events leading to Jessica's Women's Championship match with Jazz. She thought about calling Cory again to make sure her mother wasn't stressing her out too much but she didn't want to bother her.

She groaned when she heard the doorbell ringing. The pizza was right on time. She got up slowly and took her time making her way down the stairs. The delivery guy rang the bell a few more times and she rolled her eyes, "Keep your pants on, I'm coming."

-----------------------------------

"V, how come you never told us your brother was so hot?" Trish asked as she put on her makeup.

"Yeah, I definitely wasn't expecting that," Torrie smiled.

"I don't exactly see him that way ladies," Viveca laughed.

"He is awfully cute," Cory said.

"You know, between him and Lianna, my siblings are getting hit on a bit too much for my liking," Viveca laughed, putting on her blush.

"Well, we're all getting bored with each other," Trish joked. "It's nice to have new people to flirt with. We cant all juggle the same two guys like Cory and Portia."

"So not funny," Cory pointed.

"I'm not juggling anyone," Portia said. "Randy and I are friends."

"And John and me…aren't exactly anything," Cory said. "Now can we go back to talking about Viveca's hot family?"

"William's already got his mind set on someone," Viveca laughed, looking over at Jessica.

She wasn't paying attention and didn't notice she was being stared at until Trish started laughing.

"What?" she looked up, confused.

"We're just talking about William's instant crush on you," Viveca smirked. "I think it's cute."

"Your brother?" she asked. "That wouldn't happen."

"Why not?" Viveca asked.

"He's attractive but…there's someone else," Jessica smiled, looking back down at her magazine.

"It better be the someone I think it is," Viveca smiled.

Jessica laughed, "It could be."

-----------------------------------

"Hey Portia, can I talk to you for a second?" Cory asked.

"Sure," Portia got up, putting her brush down. Cory lead her out into the hall and they walked far enough so that the other women wouldn't hear them.

"What's up?" Portia asked. "You wanna go over the match again?"

"No, I think we know it like the palm of our hands," Cory laughed. "Actually, this is about you..and Randy."

"What about me and Randy?" Portia asked, looking away.

"Look…I wasn't trying to hurt or upset you when I dated Randy," Cory began. "And neither was he."

"I never said you were," Portia shrugged. "I was busy with John."

"Yeah I know," Cory nodded, trying to ignore the sting she got from the mention of her and John. "Anyway..I don't know what's going on with you and John now but I can tell you that there's nothing but friendship between Randy and me..and that's because of you."

"What?"

"He likes you," Cory said. "A lot. We had a talk and he just..he couldn't be with me anymore because he couldn't stop thinking about you. He hasn't been able to tell you because he doesn't know how you feel. Neither do I but..I thought you should know."

Portia looked surprised and a little confused. She nodded softly saying, "Thanks for that."

Cory shrugged, "No problem."

Portia walked back toward the locker room and Cory leaned against the wall, hoping she'd done the right thing and Randy wouldn't be upset with her. She just felt bad for both of them. It seemed obvious that Portia, whether she could admit it or not, wanted him and she knew he wanted her. She figured if she couldn't fix her own situation, at least she could help her friends.

-----------------------------------


	54. Chapter 54

**Peeps! First, thanks to those who've reviewed, i really appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. Second, as an apology for my lack of recent posts, here's a double update before the new year. I'm gonna try to get another one done in a few days. There's only a few chapters of Thin Line left, hopefully you haven't given up on me so close to the end. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

**Chapter 54...**

"You both look wonderful," Jeannette smiled, watching as Jessica and Cory sat in front of the mirror. They both looked a little anxious and she knew that Cory was going to shoo she and Adelle out of the room and to their seats very soon.

"I'm not done getting ready yet Gram," Cory laughed. "But thank you."

"Don't worry Cory, you have plenty of time, considering your match is fourth," Jessica said. She picked up her belt, standing up. "I had to get ready early since _I'm_ up _first_. Thanks for the compliment Jeanette. Enjoy the show."

As Jessica walked out of the room, Cory looked into the mirror, her eyes wide. She was obviously effected by the tone of Jessica's voice. She didn't exactly sound thrilled to be going on before Cory's match with Portia.

"Well, that was interesting," Adelle smirked.

"Don't start," Jeanette pointed at her daughter.

Adelle shrugged, looking at Cory's face, "You need more mascara dear."

Cory frowned and Jeanette walked over to the door, holding it open, "Addie, I need you to excuse us for a moment…I need to talk to my granddaughter alone."

"Why don't you go to your seat Mother?" Cory asked. "Regina and Joe are already there."

"Alright," Adelle sighed, walking over and kissing her cheek. "Good luck. Maybe you should try putting on-"

"_Out_ Adelle," Jeanette insisted, growing irritated. Adelle exited the room and Jeanette walked over and sat in the chair next to Cory's while she picked up a tube of mascara.

"Put that down," she took it away from her granddaughter. She could see in Cory's eyes that Adelle's presence and Jessica's comment were getting to her.

"I think now is a good time to tell you how incredibly proud I am of you," Jeanette smiled at her.

"Thanks Gram," the corner of her mouth shifted up a fraction.

"This is a day you've been dreaming about for a long time..and the worst thing that could possibly happen is that you wake up 10 years from now and there's a single detail that you cant remember," she said.

Cory looked thoughtful and Jeanette pulled her into a quick hug then leaned back, looking her in the eye, "At least for today, you need to put away all the confusion and drama and whatever else keeps running through your head and just..live. Do what you love to do. Take a big deep breath and look around, take everything in. You only get one first..Make it count."

Jeanette's heart warmed when a bright smile touched her granddaughter's face.

"Thank you Gram," Cory smiled, giving her a tight hug. "I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask," Jeannette smiled.

"Now get to your seat, the pyro is gonna start in 15 minutes."

"Okay, okay, I'll go," Jeanette gave her one last hug.

-----------------------------------

Hunter stopped in the hall as Jeanette exited the women's locker room. She gave him a warm smile and a pat on the arm as she walked by. He could definitely see who Cory took after. She wasn't a thing like her mother but she and her grandmother were definitely cut from the same cloth. When Jeanette was out of sight, Hunter knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in."

He opened the door, poking his head inside, "Everyone decent?"

"I'm the only one here at the moment," Cory smiled. "And aren't you supposed to ask if everyone's decent _before_ you look into the room?"

"Conventionally but..I like to try new things," he smirked, walking into the room. "You ready for the show?"

"Don't I look ready?" she smiled, standing up in her very short denim shorts and tight Wrestlemania t-shirt.

"Of course," Hunter nodded.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be psyching yourself up to get thrown off the top of the cell?"

"What makes you think I'm gonna get thrown off the top?" he asked.

"It's a hell in a cell Hunter, you're gonna get thrown off the top," she smirked.

"Thanks Cory," he laughed. "And to think..I brought you a surprise."

"A surprise?" she gave him a confused smirk. "What kind of surprise?"

"Well," Hunter opened the door a little wider. "There's someone I thought you'd like to meet."

Hunter waved his friend into the room and he could see Cory's eyes go wide when Shawn walked into the room. They'd been in the same building before but Hunter realized a few days earlier that they'd never actually been introduced and Shawn had been out with an injury since Cory had been back from hers. He figured she might like to actually get to talk to him for a few minutes.

"Shawn Michaels, Cory Samms," Hunter introduced. "Cory, this is Shawn Michaels."

"I'm well aware of that," Cory beamed. "It's so nice to really meet you. You know, I mean, like actually talk to you. Not that I'm like some crazy star struck fan or anything but-"

"It's nice to _really_ meet you too," Shawn flashed her a smile. "Hunter tells me you've been a big fan for a long time."

"Did he?" she gave Hunter a look, her cheeks turning bright red as they shook hands.

"Don't be too mad at him, I told him to make sure you know I'm a fan of yours too," Shawn smiled. "I remember seeing you back in ECW. You've come a long way. I'm sure you and Portia are gonna put on a good match tonight."

"Thank you," she smiled, her nose wrinkling up. "All I want is for people to remember it tomorrow."

Shawn smiled, "With you involved, I don't see how they could forget it."

-----------------------------------

Jason rifled through Adam's gym bag, searching for his elbow pad. He'd accidentally tossed it in Adam's bag a few days earlier and of course, Adam hadn't thought to give it back to him. Frustrated that it was taking so long to find it, Jason just held the bag up, dumping everything out on the floor.. He didn't really care if Adam got mad about it, he hadn't exactly been a boy scout lately. Jason shook the bag a few times, emptying it's contents onto the floor. He tossed the bag to the side and knelt down, rifling through the items. After a few seconds, he spotted his elbow pad. He set about shoving some of the stuff back into the bag when he felt his hand close around a small, solid item covered in a t-shirt. He frowned, uncovering the item and shaking his head when he realized what it was. A ring box. He opened it and, sure enough, there was Viveca's ring, exactly as Jeff had described it. So either Adam had lied earlier so that Jason would believe he didn't have it anymore, or he didn't look through his bag well enough to find it. Jason was pretty sure it was the former but it didn't matter. He had it now and he knew what he was going to do with it. He walked quickly over to Jeff's bag, opening it and unzipping a small compartment on the side, tucking the ring away safely and zipping it up before anyone came in.

-----------------------------------

John rolled his shoulders, walking toward the locker room. He and Randy had a few things to iron out before their match. He'd gone out to take a peek at the crowd earlier and now he was more hyped than ever. This was going to be a great show and he wanted to make sure their match was one of the highlights. He opened the door, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw one of the last things he expected. Randy and Portia attached at the lips. Randy had his hands in her hair and hers were under his shirt. He was hearing sounds he really didn't need to hear. Fortunately, they didn't notice him so he was able to turn and walk out, quietly closing the door behind him. The last time he talked to Portia, she was still all bitter about Randy and Cory dating. This was an interesting turn of events.

And of course, right when her name popped into his head, he saw her. Cory came around the corner, laughing and talking with Glenn and Hunter. When they all saw John, Hunter and Glenn parted ways with Cory, leaving her looking somewhat like a deer caught in headlights. There were a few different ways he could handle this situation but John figured it was a special night, especially for her, so he could try to forget about their issues for a couple of hours.

"Hey," he smiled, giving her a quick wave.

"Hey, I was just going to see if Randy knows where Portia is," Cory explained.

"Oh yeah, he knows where she is," John laughed.

"What does that mean?" she looked confused.

"Just that..well…I just caught them making out," John said. "We should probably give them a minute."

Cory laughed, "Probably."

"You don't seem surprised," he pointed out.

"I'm not exactly," she said, rubbing her ear a little. "I kind of encouraged Portia to have a talk with Randy."

"Encouraged in what way?" he asked. "And why?"

"It's not important," she shook her head.

John was trying his best not to think about it but his mind kept drifting back to the message he left her. He wanted to ask her about it but..if it mattered, she would have said something. Maybe he should just ask her anyway, to make himself feel better.

_Just do it dumbass_

He took a deep breath, knowing it would plague him until he knew. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Cory's mouth dropped open and she was looking down the hall past him toward some of the TV monitors.

"Shit," she whispered. "I almost forgot I promised Jessie I'd at least watch _some_ of her match."

She walked past him and he followed, knowing Jessica would probably kick his ass for not watching. They caught the match near what was to be the end. Ric was at ringside and from JR's commentary, it seemed he'd been interfering for the bulk of the match. Now, the referee was trying to eject the Nature Boy but Ric was fiercely arguing with him. While the men were distracted, Jazz got out of the ring and grabbed a chair, sliding into the ring while Jessica was watching Ric and the ref. Jazz picked up the chair and reared back, slamming it hard into Jessica's back. There was a sickening crack and John could immediately tell that something had gone wrong. Jazz seemed to have swung too high. The chair hit the base of Jessica's skull.

-----------------------------------

Cory felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach when Jessica fell to the canvas. Something was wrong. She didn't fall so much as she collapsed. Her legs looked like they just gave out. Ric, the referee, and Jazz all looked caught off guard and froze for a second. Then, Jazz dropped down, pinning Jessica while the ref finally pushed Ric off of the ring apron and fell to the canvas, counting the fall.

"Oh my God," Cory put a hand over her mouth. "She's unconscious."

"Come on," John took her hand, walking her toward the entrance to the stage. She needed to be there when they brought Jessica back.

"It probably wasn't as bad as it looked," John tried to assure her, squeezing her hand. She squeezed back but didn't say anything. Her eyes were locked on the curtain. They could hear Jazz's music playing and she came backstage with the title belt slung over her shoulder. She looked in Cory's direction but John shook his head. It probably wasn't a good idea for her to say anything to Cory until they knew what happened.

EMT's rushed through the curtain with a stretcher and a neck stabilizer. Cory squeezed John's hand tighter and he rubbed her hand with his thumb, "Calm down. Maybe it's not that bad."

"Why is this taking so long?" Cory asked as the minutes went by.

Finally, the EMTs came back with an unconscious Jessica on a stroller.

"We need to get her to the hospital," one of them said.

"I'm going with her," Cory said quickly.

"You cant," John reminded her.

She stared at him.

"You have a match, remember?" he asked.

She looked frustrated, like she was trying to figure out some solution.

"Just take her to the ambulance guys," John insisted. "I'm sure Vince will send somebody to ride with her."

"But John-"

"Cory, you'll get there as soon as you can," John assured her. "I'll take you there the second my match is over if you want, but you have to stay here right now. Jessica's gonna be okay."

She looked upset but she knew he was right, he could see that in her eyes. She nodded, still holding his hand, "You're right…Thank you."

-----------------------------------

Later…

Taylor stood in front of one of the monitors watching Chris's match. He and RVD were taking on Batista and Ric Flair. She winced as Dave slammed Chris to the canvas with a spine buster.

"Hey Taylor."

She turned, waving when she saw Jeff, whose match was up next, walking toward her, "Hey."

He watched the match with her for a few seconds before Jeff turned to her, "If you hate the guy so much..why are you watching him like that?"

"Like what?" Taylor frowned, confused.

"Like you're scared he's gonna get hurt," Jeff explained.

Taylor could understand why Jeff or anyone else would think she hated Chris. She certainly acted like it as of late. She avoided him like the plague and when they did have conversations they were awkward and she got away as quickly as she could. But she didn't hate him. She couldn't. She just couldn't handle all of her feelings for him. She'd never let a man get this close to her and it was scary. It scared her that she'd started falling for him. It scared her that she was heartbroken when he lashed out at her. It scared her that he wanted so badly to help her because she knew he would never stop trying. He wouldn't give up but there was no helping her. There was nothing he could do.

"I'm not scared," she shook her head.

"If you say so," Jeff shrugged.

"And I don't hate him," she looked down at her hands.

"Well could you tell him that?" Jeff laughed. "'Cause he thinks you do."

"This just..isn't the right time for me and Chris," she said. "Besides, I'm leaving soon anyway."

"Leaving?" Jeff frowned. "Where are you going?"

Taylor closed her eyes for a second before shaking her head, "You don't wanna know."

No one wanted to know where she had to go and what she had to do. But she had to fix things. She was the only one who could.

"Does Vivie know about this? Does Cory?" Jeff asked.

"No," Taylor shook her head. "And I don't want them to. Please don't say anything."

"Taylor-"

"Jeff, I've been keeping a secret for you," she reminded him. She hadn't given Viveca even the slightest inclination that Jeff was going to propose to her. "I need you to keep this secret for me."

"I don't know-"

She gave him a pleading look and he sighed, looking away momentarily before looking back at her. He nodded begrudgingly, "Okay..I wont say anything…but I want you to know, nobody here wants you to leave."

She nodded, "I know..but I don't have any choice."

-----------------------------------

The crowd showed their approval as Cory ducked when Portia swung a trash can lid at her. She smiled, waiting for her nemesis to turn around. When she did, Portia was met with a dropkick sending her down to the canvas.

Then, Cory grabbed her by the hair, yanking it back and yelling something in her face.

"I don't know if this is a good idea," JR said. "She could end this match right now."

"She doesn't wanna end it yet," King said. "She wants to punish Portia."

"Cant say I blame her," JR laughed.

When Cory finished yelling, she slapped Portia hard across the face then got up, waiting for her opponent to make it to her feet.

The arena was almost filled with boos when an unwelcome guest appeared on the stage. Randy Orton walked out slowly, making his way toward the ring.

"Oh what the hell is he doing out here?" JR asked.

"He just wants a better look at the match," King suggested.

The second Cory spotted him, she let go of Portia's hair, walking toward the ropes. Randy smiled at her and she pointed, yelling angrily for him to leave. It was evident from her body language that she was letting him know the match was between her and Portia. Not him.

"I think Cory should know pretty well that it's nearly impossible to have a match with just one member of Evolution," JR said.

Randy and Cory continued to argue until the referee came over and admonished both of them, ordering Cory to focus on her match. She turned around and walked right into a hard shot to the face from Portia. The women went back and forth for a few more minutes until Cory regained the upper hand, grounding Portia with a neckbreaker and then pulling her up, executing a backbreaker. She got up and was about to bounce off of the ropes when Randy grabbed her ankle, causing her to fall, smacking her face onto the mat.

"I think she's hurt," King said as Cory rolled onto her back, wincing in pain. She used the ropes to pull herself up but she could only seem to use her left arm. She was heavily favoring her right arm, holding it close to her body.

"Something tells me that's what Orton and Portia were hoping for," JR said with disgust. The mood in the arena changed in a millisecond

She spouted some obscenities Randy's way and he got up on the ring apron, yelling back at her. Portia was just barely beginning to stir. Randy grabbed Cory's hair and yanked her face toward him. Before anything else could transpire though, the mood in the arena changed. The fans jumped from their seats as Randy's opponent later that night, John Cena, ran down the ramp and grabbed Randy by the back of his shirt, yanking him onto the floor.

"What's he doing out here?" King exclaimed.

"He's doing the right thing," JR said enthusiastically as Randy and John tousled for a few seconds before John floored Randy with a clothesline. Cory, who was watching the men, somewhat surprised at Cena's assistance, didn't seem to notice that Portia had gotten up and was behind her, waiting for her to turn around. Portia ran at her but Cory ducked just in time, sending Portia into the ropes. Portia bounced back toward her and Cory kicked her in the stomach then wrapped her arm around Portia's neck. The crowd grew louder as she jumped, driving Portia's head into the canvas.

"What a DDT!" JR exclaimed.

Cory dragged Portia to the middle of the ring and then walked over to the corner, jumping up onto the top turnbuckle and turning around.

"What's she gonna do here?" King asked.

His answer came in the form of a 450 splash.

"Oh my God!" JR exclaimed.

"Was that a 450?" King asked.

"Yes it was," JR said excitedly as Cory hooked the leg and the ref began to count. "And this King, is a 1..2..3!"

Cory dropped Portia's leg, standing up, smiling from ear to ear as the referee raised her left hand because her right arm still seemed to be causing her a lot of pain.

"The bar just gets higher and higher tonight King," JR said as a few replays depicting the highlights from the match were shown. Cory blew kisses to a group of fans in the front row that seemed particularly thrilled with her win.

Then, she looked toward the stage. After taking Randy Orton out, John Cena hadn't left. He was still standing near the end of the ramp, clapping his hands. She smiled sheepishly and then mouthed 'Thank You' to him. He shrugged and then continued clapping.

"What exactly is going on with those two JR?" King asked.

"I don't know King," JR said. "But there seems to be somethin'. I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

"Next up, we take a look at the feud between Edge and Christian, La Resistance, and The WWE Tag Team Champions, The Dudleys."

-----------------------------------


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

Cory's eyelids were starting to droop as she sat in the chair beside Jessica's bed. Her sister had been unconscious since she got to the hospital. The EMTs said she woke up briefly in the ambulance but quickly slipped back. The doctors said that the awkward chair shot had caused her a severe concussion as well as minor trauma to Jessica's spinal cord. They wouldn't know anything else until Jessica woke up. Cory couldn't believe this had happened. They were supposed to be out celebrating a great show and instead, Cory was just praying for her sister to get up soon.

There was a light knock on the door and Cory looked up, spotting Hunter through the window. She waved him in and he walked into the room quietly, a purple teddy bear in one of his hands.

"Hey," he walked over, sitting beside her and setting the bear down. "Any news?"

Cory shook her head. Hunter had come right after the show. She left as soon as she wasn't needed. Hunter's match was the last of the night but he'd come as soon as the show was over.

"How's the shoulder?" he asked.

Cory's arm was in a sling. The doctors had convinced her to have it checked out when she got there and could barely move her arm. She had a sprained shoulder and it was rather painful at the moment but she didn't care. That wasn't important.

"It's fine," she shrugged her good shoulder.

"You're lying," he smirked. "But I can understand why so I'm not gonna push."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"You know Jessie's gonna be okay, right?" he asked. She could see that he was worried too but he was trying his best to be reassuring.

"I know," she nodded. "She better be."

Hunter leaned back in his chair and they both looked up at the TV, preparing themselves for what could be a long night. A few of their coworkers were in the waiting room. Cory told herself that in a few minutes she would go talk to them and stretch her legs but she knew she wouldn't. She couldn't leave the room until her sister was awake.

She yawned, leaning her head on Hunter's shoulder. He took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly.

"Thanks for being here," she said.

"Yeah Hunter…thanks for being here."

Cory jumped when she heard a weak but wonderfully familiar voice coming from the bed.

"Jessie?" Cory stared.

Her sister's blue eyes were open for a few seconds but then she squeezed them shut tightly, "Holy _shit_ my head hurts."

"Concussions will do that to ya," Hunter smirked, getting up and walking to the far side of the bed. Cory pulled her chair up to the closer side.

"Why are you guys hovering over me like this?" Jessica asked groggily. She looked at Cory and frowned, "And what the hell happened to you?"

"Nothing important," Cory shook her head. "I'm worried about what happened to you."

"What happened?" Jessica asked, wincing again.

"You took a bad chair shot," Hunter explained.

"That explains a few things," Jessica said. "I don't even remember my match."

"It was great up until then," Hunter smiled.

"Thanks," she made a face at him. "How was yours Cory? I'm so sorry, I wanted to see it."

"It's okay, that's what DVDs are for," Cory said, patting her sister on the leg. "We can watch it together later.

Jessica was nodding absently but her eyes had drifted down to Cory's hand.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked.

Jessica looked panicked, "I cant feel my legs."

-----------------------------------

Michael walked into Savannah's apartment for the first time in weeks. He couldn't help but wonder where she was. He usually saw her a little more often. She'd called him on his birthday though so he figured she was alright.

There was an awful stench in the apartment but it wasn't exactly shocking. Savannah had never been big on cleaning. The further in he got though, the worse the smell was. He raised his arm, holding his sleeve over his nose as he flipped the lights on.

As the living room became flooded with light, Michael could see that Savannah's formerly red walls were now wallpapered in magazine pictures. They were all of that guy she dated once, the wrestler. Michael couldn't recall his name but he'd seemed like a nice enough guy. He could see why things didn't work out between him and Savannah. Nice wasn't a word he would use to describe her.

Michael cringed when he realized that some of the pictures were smeared with what he could only hope was red paint. He kept his sleeve over his nose, walking down the hall toward the bedrooms. Something in the guest room caught his eye as he passed. He turned around and entered the room, frowning when he saw a wooden baby crib. What the hell was she doing with a crib? There were more pictures of her ex on the wall, most of them pasted above the crib. These weren't covered in red though. These were even scarier. There were a few of them from when they were together. But there were more that were of him and other women with Savannah's face pasted over theirs.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he whispered, looking around the room.

The phone rang and he nearly jumped out of his skin, rushing out of the room and back into the living room.

He needed to talk to her soon. He was worried. She was obviously not well and he wanted to get her help. He just needed to find a way to get her to listen. He walked out of the apartment slowly, softly closing the door behind him and locking it.

-----------------------------------

"You received a very hard blow and that caused some trauma to your spinal cord," the doctor explained. "It's not abnormal to feel numbness for a while but your feeling will almost definitely return."

"Almost?" Cory stared. That was awfully comforting.

Jessica took her hand, "Doctor, almost isn't exactly what I want to hear."

"I have to say almost," the doctor smiled. "But believe me, I have no reason to believe that your feeling wont return within a few hours."

"Thank you," Jessica nodded.

The doctor excused himself and Jessica looked over at her sister. She still looked worried out of her mind and she was obviously exhausted. Jessica thought back to the way she'd talked to her earlier that night, the jealous thoughts she'd had. It wasn't right for her to act that way. Cory had never done anything but support her.

"Hunter," Jessica looked over at her friend. "Could you get me some ice or some water or something?"

"Sure," he nodded. "I'll be right back."

When Hunter was gone, Jessica looked over at Cory, "You know..I don't remember my match but I do remember another thing I did tonight."

"What?" Cory looked confused.

"I snipped at you," Jessica said. "That little comment I made about your match coming later than mine was unnecessary. I'm sorry."

"Jessie, you don't have to-"

"Cory just listen," she said. "I am so proud of you. And I really wish I could have watched your match live. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I guess I let some old insecurities rear their heads but..they're gone now. And you know I love you to death, right?"

"I know," Cory smiled. "I love you too Jess. Now don't worry about it anymore."

-----------------------------------

"This has been quite a night," William said, frowning when he took a sip of the coffee he'd gotten from the hospital cafeteria. "This is disgusting."

"Yes it has been," Viveca nodded, taking his coffee and taking a sip. "Oh God, that _is_ disgusting."

"That was a really great show," William said. "Although I don't know how much I enjoyed the guy behind me yelling about what a great rack my sister has."

"Yeah well, your sister does have a great rack," Viveca laughed.

"And you complain when I flirt with your friends," he shook his head.

"That's because my friends are off limits," Viveca said. "You're just gonna have to deal with guys staring at my boobs."

"More than you think," William smirked.

"What does that mean?" Viveca asked.

"I cant say yet," William smiled. "But I might have a surprise for you."

"V! William!"

They turned and Viveca felt a strange chill when Jeff came running toward them.

"What's wrong?" William asked.

"Your mother fainted in the cafeteria," Jeff explained. "They had to admit her."

"What?" Viveca stared. "Oh my God."

William shook his head, "I knew this was going to happen."

"What?" she looked up at her brother. "What the hell are you talking about?"

William gave her an apologetic look, "Mom's gonna have to tell you herself."

-----------------------------------

"I need to talk to you," Portia said, sitting next to John in the waiting room. Cory had come out a few minutes earlier to give everyone an update on Jessica and John had been staring after her since she left. It was frustrating for her to watch her friend like this. Not because she was jealous anymore. Now it was just because she felt bad. She couldn't explain the way she felt when she told Randy how she felt and he returned her feelings. She wanted John and Cory to have that. They deserved it. There was a time when she never would have admitted it but now she could see, they really were perfect for each other.

"What about?' he asked.

"You and I..we both jumped to conclusions about Randy and Cory," she said. "Especially me."

"And?" he waited for her to continue.

"I just…I really think you should try to make things work with her," Portia said.

He rolled his eyes and she spoke before he could, "John even when we thought we were in love with each other, you _never_ looked at me the way you look at her."

He briefly looked like he wanted to argue but he stopped himself running a hand over his hair and looking away.

"Everybody keeps giving me different advice," John shook his head. "I got my ex girlfriend telling me to go for it. I have her best friend telling me to give up on her. I don't know what the hell to do at this point."

"Do you want to be with her?" she asked. "All your issues aside, when it comes down to it, at the end of the day…do you want to be with Cory?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I do."

"Then I don't know what's got you confused," Portia said. "I think you and I both know relationships are never perfect. You're both hard heads. You've had misunderstanding after misunderstanding. You're not the easiest people in the world to deal with. It's worth it though."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I told you, I've never seen you look at anyway like you look at her," Portia said. "And I'm willing to bet that she's never looked at anyone the way she looks at you."

-----------------------------------

"You didn't have to rush down here," Lorraine smiled at her daughter. "I know you're worried about your friend."

"Mom, I'm worried about you," Viveca insisted. "You fainted, they admitted you..What's going on?"

"Nothing dear I-"

"William didn't seem surprised when Jeff told us," Viveca crossed her arms over her chest, frustrated. "Why?"

Lorraine knew she was cornered. It wasn't fair for her to lie to her daughter. She'd convinced herself it was because she didn't want Viveca to worry and it was for her own good but..it wasn't right.

"He wasn't surprised because…" Lorraine took her daughter's hand. "I'm sick sweetheart. I have been for a little while now."

Viveca's green eyes looked misty, "Sick? Sick how? What's wrong?"

"I have Hodgkin's lymphoma," Lorraine admitted.

"Cancer?" Viveca stared. Her eyes filled with tears and she covered her mouth.

"Sweetheart calm down," Lorraine said, squeezing her hand. "It's at an early stage, the doctors say it isn't moving rapidly. I fainted because of all the excitement this weekend. They admitted me as a precaution. I feel fine now."

"But you have _cancer_," Viveca cried. "First dad gets sick and now.."

"You stop yourself right now Viveca," Lorraine said. She gave her daughter a smile, "Believe me, now that I've finally gotten all of my babies together…I'm not going anywhere."

-----------------------------------

Mark stared at the phone, tapping his foot on the floor. He kept opening it and closing it over and over. He would scroll down to Dawn's number and then close the phone before he did anything. He needed to talk to her. He needed to get out what he had to say or he would never feel better about this. He couldn't do it over the phone though. Unfortunately, to get a face to face meeting, he had to call her and he couldn't seem to muster up the balls to do it.

He tried to imagine Cory yelling at him to just man up and do it. He could hear Glenn in his head saying 'there's no time like the present'.

_Just do it Mark_, he thought to himself. _Stop being such a bitch about this_.

He took a deep breath and opened the phone, dialing Dawn's number before he could second guess himself.

"Hey you've reached Dawn's voicemail. Leave your name, number, and a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

"God damn it," Mark accidentally said out loud. "Sorry darlin'..I mean um..Dawn..it's me. Listen, I'm calling because you and I need to talk. We need to see each other face to face and discuss what's been happening between us. I think we can work this out and if you don't think so I need you to look me in the eye and tell me why. You just tell me where and I'll be there. Darlin', I cant stop thinking about this..about you….I guess if I don't get an answer from ya then I know we're really done. I'll just have to figure out how to deal with it.…No matter what, I want you to know..I love you. Hopefully I'll talk to ya soon."

Mark hung up the phone taking a deep breath. He felt like an idiot but he felt a little weight off his shoulders at the same time. Once again he'd put himself out there. But he knew in his heart that Dawn loved him as much as he loved her. Once they saw each other, they would work things out.

-----------------------------------

The Next Morning…

Jeff sat in the room with Lorraine while her children went to get breakfast. He was glad that he could get along so well with Viveca's family. They all made him feel welcome, especially Lorraine. Viveca was still reeling from the news of her mother's illness but she seemed to be feeling better when they left to get food. Jeff just hoped she had a lot of years left with her mother.

"So…why didn't you tell Viveca sooner?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know Jeff," Lorraine sighed. "I guess I just didn't know if she could handle it so soon after her father passing away.

"You'd be surprised what she can handle," Jeff said. "She's a strong woman."

"Yes she is," Lorraine nodded. "I also didn't take into consideration the kind of support she has. Her friends all seem wonderful and you…she really loves you. And I can see that you love her too."

"I do," he nodded.

"So..when are you gonna just give her the ring?" Lorraine asked.

"What?" Jeff stared. He'd just found Viveca's ring the night before but amidst all the excitement, he hadn't had the chance to tell anyone yet. He was definitely shocked that Lorraine would bring it up.

"The ring," she said. "I know you have it."

"How'd you know?" he laughed.

"I just do," she laughed. "You're just like her father. He carried around my ring for months before he got up the guts to ask. I went crazy trying to find out what he was hiding. If I know my daughter she's been snooping through your things."

"I think she has," Jeff laughed. "I wanna ask her soon I just…I just don't know when. I wanna make it special."

"Give yourself two weeks," she said. "If you haven't come up with some grand plan by then, just ask…No matter what you do..she's going to say yes."

"You think so?"

"I know so," she nodded.

"Okay then," he smiled. "Two weeks."

-----------------------------------

Cory pulled her coat tightly around her, dialing her voicemail and pressing the phone to her ear. While she was in the room with Hunter and Jessica, she'd noticed that her phone vibrated in her pocket quite a few times to let her know she had new voice messages. They were more than likely from people calling to check on Jessica. She would check the messages and then more than likely send out a text message letting everyone know that Jessica would be alright. She went past a message from Randy, another from Trish, one from her brother EJ. Then, the automated voice alerted her that the next message was from Dawn's number.

"Hey Cory..it's Dawnie..I uh..I'm just calling because..because I'm gonna be going away for a while. I think a vacation could do me some good, you know? I just..I don't want you to worry about where I am. I'll call you as soon as I can. Love you…Bye."

Cory frowned as the message ended and she barely listened to the next one. Something wasn't right.

-----------------------------------


	56. Chapter 56

**Okay peeps, these next three chapters are the final three chapters. You'll find the answers to all or at least most of the questions you've been wondering. Just a warning, there are some VERY serious themes covered in the next few chapters including domestic violence and homicide. I know that's a little cryptic, sorry. Of course, I'm sure you know reviews would be hugely appreciated. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!!! **

**Chapter 56...**

Two Weeks Later…

"So…does everyone know what they're supposed to do?" Jeff asked nervously, rubbing his hands together.

"Jeff, I think we got it," Matt said. "Everyone's in place."

"Yeah, you've made us go over this about 50 times," Lianna said. "And really, if Matt's got it down, anybody can get it."

"She learns quick," Jeff laughed.

"Why is she here again?" Matt asked.

"Can you two stop for five seconds?" Jeff asked. He couldn't deny that Matt and Lianna's bickering was amusing but he needed a few minutes of peace and quiet. He'd planned a pretty elaborate proposal and if she said no, _everyone_ was going to know about it. He needed to calm his nerves.

"Come on Hardy, let's get to our places," Lianna gently pushed Matt. "You sure you remember where to go?"

"Are you sure you wanna marry into this family?" Matt asked over his shoulder as they walked away.

Jeff shook his head at them as they walked away. He couldn't tell if he was really nervous or just excited. He loved Viveca, she loved him, that was undeniable. She had to have some idea that this was coming. He just hoped she appreciated all the work he'd done. He wanted this to be perfect for her.

_15 Minutes Later…_

Viveca pulled into a parking space and put her bag on her shoulder, quickly getting out of the car. She waved politely the few fans who'd arrived at the arena that early but she couldn't stop. For one, it was way too cold, and two, Matt had called her telling her to get to the arena right away. He wouldn't say why but it made her nervous. Matt and Jeff had gone to the arena early to work on their match and she hadn't been able to get in touch with him since Matt called. Just as she was about to pull one of the doors open, someone opened it from the inside.

Viveca was surprised to see Trish and Portia standing in front of her.

"Um..hi," she frowned, confused as she walked between the two of them. "What are you two doing here so early?"

"Oh nothing," Trish shrugged. "Just…hangin' out."

"With all the lights off?" Viveca looked around. The hallway was just barely lit.

She stopped when she realized she was walking on something. When she looked down she was surprised to see rose petals on the floor.

Viveca felt butterflies in her stomach and she looked up at her friends, "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm afraid we cant tell you that," Trish smiled, taking Viveca's bag from her.

"But I can tell you you're gonna love it," Portia laughed.

"Ladies and gentlemen…welcome to the Wachovia Center in wonderful Philadelphia Pennsylvania..I am the love doctor John Cena and you are tuned in to WWE Radio," John's voice came over the PA system and Viveca burst into laughter as Trish and Portia led her though the arena. "Kids, this next request comes from a very good friend of mine…Some call him Jeff, some call him Hardy…I call him J-Dog…J..this one's for you."

Viveca looked around for John but she couldn't see him, she could only hear his voice being piped through the arena. As they approached the gorilla position, the song Unchained Melody began to play. Viveca put a hand over her mouth. Unchained Melody was her favorite song.

"This is where we leave you," Trish smiled. "But we send you into the capable hands of these two."

Another light came on and Matt and Lianna came into view. Viveca giggled when she saw that they were both wearing tuxedo t-shirts.

"Li, what are you doing here?" Viveca hugged her sister. She hadn't expected her to be visiting again so soon.

"I couldn't miss this," Lianna smiled.

"Madame," Matt offered his arm and Viveca looped hers through it as they walked toward the curtains that led to the stage. Lianna held the curtain open and they all walked through,

The arena was dark except for enough lights on the ramp for them to see where they were going.

"Ladies and gentlemen," John's voice came back. "Please direct your attention to the ring for a very, very special performance from the WWE's very own…Jeff Hardy..and the chair shots."

Viveca started laughing again as a spotlight hit the ring and Jeff stood in the ring in a tuxedo jacket and jeans, passionately lip synching to Unchained Melody. 'The Chair Shots' consisted of Hunter, Cory with her arm still in a sling, Jessica on crutches, and Randy in a long brown wig. They were also wearing tuxedo jackets over their sweats. Cory had a bow tie holding her hair away from her face and another around her neck. They were trying their best to stay in synch as they 'danced' behind Jeff.

Viveca locked eyes with him as he 'sang' and she felt tears well up in her eyes. She couldn't believe he'd done all of this.

As the song came to an end, Cory and Randy held the ropes open as Matt and Lianna brought Viveca to the ring. She climbed in and 'The Chair Shots' exited, leaving her standing in the ring alone with Jeff.

"And now…" John's voice filled the arena again. "A special message from Jeff to Viveca, conveyed through Chris Irvine and a few of our amazing WWE fans."

Chris appeared on the big screen outside with the small group of fans that she saw earlier.

"You guys ready?" Chris asked the fans. One at a time, the fans yelled a word into the microphone.

"Viveca"

"Will"

"You"

"Marry"

"Me"

The video disappeared and Viveca turned around to face Jeff, who was now down on one knee, holding a ring box.

"Well V…The Love Doctor wants to know…What's the word?" John asked.

Viveca looked down at Jeff, trying desperately to blink away the tears.

"Viveca," he asked quietly. "Will you marry me?"

Her heart stopped and all she could do was stare. She knew from the second she walked into the arena what was going to happen but hearing Jeff say the words..that was different. She wished that she could just freeze this moment in time. She wished she could feel the way she was feeling right then for the rest of her life. And it didn't hurt that the ring was absolutely perfect.

"Well?" Jeff smiled anxiously.

"Yes," she nodded, the tears finally overflowing. "Yes."

"Yes?" he smiled.

She nodded and he jumped up, picking her up and swinging her around.

-----------------------------------

_7:00 P.M._

"Why exactly was Randy wearing a wig?" Lorraine laughed as her daughter recounted the story of Jeff's proposal.

"Jeff was a little upset that our friend Dawn couldn't be here because she's on leave," Viveca explained. "She was pretty instrumental in our getting together in the first place. "So Cory suggested Randy be her stand in."

"You have some amazing friends," Lorraine laughed.

Viveca looked around the now buzzing backstage area. Cory was having her hair done, rolling her eyes while Portia and Randy stood on either side of her talking. Jessica was sitting and talking to Trish, occasionally trying to trip Hunter with one of her crutches as he walked by. Matt, Jeff, and Lianna were playing rock, paper, scissors for some odd reason.

"Yeah I know some pretty interesting people," Viveca laughed. She looked down at her ring again, smiling. She could almost get lost in it. Especially after Jeff had explained all the trouble he went through to get it.

"So..is Liam there to pick you up yet?"

Lorraine was having a check up with her primary care physician after being admitted to the hospital while she was visiting over Wrestlemania weekend.

"Well…" Lorraine sighed. "I cant go home quite yet."

"Why the hell not?" Viveca asked.

"They want me to stay for some tests," Lorraine said. "It's not a big deal really."

"Are you being admitted again?" Viveca asked.

There was a lengthy pause but her mother sighed, "Yes dear, I'm being admitted."

"Then I'm coming to be with you," Viveca said. "Trenton's not even an hour drive from here. I'll leave as soon as I can."

"You don't have to-"

"Mom, don't argue," Viveca ordered. "Li and I will be there tonight."

-----------------------------------

Mark was finished getting dressed earlier than usual. He was tired. He had a headache. His back was killing him. He probably just got ready earlier because he wanted to get the damn show over with. He'd been in a horrible mood for weeks and he couldn't say he didn't know why.

Dawn never called back.

And now he was faced with the realization that he had to start moving on. Cory had tried to talk to him about it but he didn't want to discuss it anymore. There was no point. There was nothing Cory or anyone could do. He was stupid to think that a phone call could change anything. He was stupid to think that some voicemail plea would make Dawn change her mind and come back. She really didn't love him anymore. And he needed to deal with it.

-----------------------------------

RAW

"This match has been completely one sided King," JR said as Randy Orton dropkicked John Cena.

"Why do you say that?" King asked.

"Because Portia Kelly has been interfering every damn chance she gets," JR said angrily.

The match was already about 5 minutes in and Portia had been a big difference maker so far.

"Oh wait a minute," JR said as the crowd erupted into applause.

"It's Cory!" King exclaimed excitedly as brunette diva walked slowly down to the ring. "What's she doing down here?"

Portia immediately jumped in her face and the two women started arguing..

"I don't think Ms. Kelly knows what she's gettin herself into," JR said. "Even with one arm in a sling, I think Cory could kick Portia's ass."

"JR!"

"It's true."

Portia pushed Corinne who stumbled back but then smiled. Portia looked a little panicked and Corinne slammed her injured arm into Portia's face.

"Whoa!" King exclaimed. "Shouldn't that hurt Corinne more than Portia."

"It should King but it doesn't seem to," JR said, puzzled.

Portia fell to the ground.

"Portia's out cold," JR laughed.

Cory got close to the ring apron and Randy, who was in control of the match, let go of the hold he had on Cena and walked over to her. He leaned through the ropes, yelling at her to leave and she yelled back. They argued for a few seconds before Randy reached out to grab her hair. John Cena was coming over to save her but he didn't need to. Cory reared back and hit him with her injured arm.

"She's using that bum arm like a lethal weapon tonight King," JR said.

"And it doesn't hurt," King added as Cory backed up, smiling as John grabbed Randy and picked him up, slamming him to the canvas with the FU to win the match.

"There is something very interesting going on with these two," King said as the ref raised John's hand and Cory got into the ring.

The week before on Raw, John gave Cory a gift, which turned out to be a John Cena hat and t-shirt and she came out and did commentary during his match against Ric Flair, helping him win by distracting Batista.

"They both say they're just friends," JR explained.

John looked a little winded from the match but he smiled, confused, gesturing to her sling.

Cory smiled slyly and reached into her sling, pulling out a foreign object.

"A pipe!" King exclaimed. "No wonder she wasn't hurt."

John started laughing as Cory dropped the pipe.

"Her father is the dirtiest player in the game," JR laughed. "What do you expect?"

She smiled, shrugging and walking toward the ropes to leave. John rushed over, grabbing her good arm to keep her from leaving.

"Uh oh," King laughed.

She stood up, looking confused, asking John why he stopped her.

John responded by putting his hand on the bank of her neck, and pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"Oh my!" JR yelled as the crowd cheered loudly.

Cory's body was stiff at first but she relaxed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Cena's got the Intercontinental title, a beautiful diva, and he just beat Randy Orton _again_," King laughed as the kiss continued for a few more seconds before they pulled apart, smiling at each other. Cena got out of the ring first and then helped her down. "I think I wish I was him right now."

JR laughed, "You and about a million other guys King."

-----------------------------------

When they walked through the curtain, John stared after Cory wondering if her head was spinning the way his was. Kissing felt good enough but to do it in the middle of the ring with thousands of people screaming for it was definitely an interesting experience. She didn't seem to be effected at first but then he noticed that she had one of her hands out as she walked, like she was trying to steady herself.

"You okay?" he asked.

She jumped, turning to face him, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"You looked like you were gonna fall for a second there," he explained.

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'm good."

"Good," he smiled. He wondered briefly what she would do if he pulled her into another kiss. She would probably slap him but it might be worth it.

They were interrupted when Randy and Portia came through the curtains.

"Nice 'acting'," Portia smiled at them, complete with finger quotes.

"Oh shut up," Cory rolled her eyes, falling into step with her friend.

John watched, frustrated as the women walked away.

"Did you talk to her yet?" Randy asked.

"Talk to her about what?" John asked.

"You know what," Randy said. "Come on man, stop being such a jackass."

"I don't know what you're talking about Randy," John said, starting to walk. "If Cory and I needed to discuss something, we would. But we don't."

-----------------------------------

"So Vince is fine with me leaving as soon as I'm done here," Viveca explained.

"Baby I-"

"You're in the second to last match tonight and you have a signing early in the morning and an interview after that," Viveca said. "Honey, you don't have to go."

"But it's your mom," Jeff said, looking like he felt horrible. "I can figure something out."

"You can come when you're done," Viveca said. "Nothing's wrong, she's just having some tests done and I wanna be there with her. There's no mad rush."

She appreciated that Jeff wanted to go with her but she knew he would get there when he could. He looked like he was about to argue but before he could, Adam spoke up.

"I could go," Adam suggested.

Viveca had almost forgotten he and Rene Dupree were still in the room.

She looked over at her friend, surprised.

"I'm done the same time you are," Adam explained. "I could go, you know, for moral support until Jeff gets there tomorrow. I mean, if you want."

Viveca smiled, touched that Adam wanted to help, "Okay..then it's settled. Adam, you're coming tonight and Jeff you'll get there when you can tomorrow."

-----------------------------------

12:00 A.M.

Taylor zipped her bag and then stood up, looking around the hotel room. She wanted to be sure she had everything. Her laptop was packed away, her journal was in her suitcase. She was good to go. She'd been thinking all day about writing a letter to her friends, giving some sort of explanation for why she had to leave. She wanted them to know how much she would miss them. She was going to miss working with Mark and Viveca. She would miss Cory and how she always worked so hard to make Taylor feel comfortable and include her in everything. Most importantly she would miss Chris. She'd tried so hard to continue to be mad at him. It was so much easier to just detach herself but the truth was, Chris had a very special place in her heart. She didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to him but she knew she had to. It would be too hard to tell him. She turned off all the lights, picked up her bag, the keys to her rental, and her coat. After double checking, she walked quietly out of the room, closing the door behind her. She was halfway down the hall when she heard a door open, startling her out of her thoughts. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Chris.

"Taylor," he frowned, looking confused.

They met at the elevator and she avoided his gaze, praying it would come quickly.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking down at her bag. "You going somewhere?"

"Yeah I just um..I have to leave early for the next city to do some things for Mark," she lied. "I'll see you there."

He looked a little skeptical but he also seemed to be dead tired so he nodded.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"I needed some ice for my knee," he explained, holding up his ice bucket.

She nodded.

"Chris," she looked down at the floor and then back up at him. "I um…I'm sorry about the way I've been acting. I'm sorry that you had to find out about my father the way you did. I'm sorry about everything."

"You don't have to be sorry Taylor," he said, stifling a yawn.

She didn't know what compelled her to say that. Probably the fact that she wasn't going to see him again. It probably wasn't a good idea to apologize because now he looked like he wanted to talk, to work things out, but she had to leave.

"This is me," she said gratefully when the elevator opened. "I'll uh…see you tomorrow."

"Are you sure you don't wanna talk?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm sure," she nodded. "We'll talk tomorrow."

-----------------------------------


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57...**

_The Next Morning…_

"So..you guys, I have a small announcement," Jessica smiled. Quite a few of the WWE Superstars were eating a late breakfast at a restaurant not far from the hotel together.

"What is it?" Cory asked, her chin resting in her hand.

"The doctor said in about a month I'll be able to wrestle again," Jessica beamed.

Cheers went up around the table. Everyone knew how much it was killing Jessica not to be working. Hunter gave her a hug and her smile grew wider.

Portia smiled, standing up, "Um…in the spirit of announcements. Randy and I have an announcement to make."

"Uh oh," Jessica laughed.

"It's not that kind of announcement," Portia laughed. "We just want to let everyone know that we recently came to terms with some issues we were having and some feelings we were hiding and..we're dating now."

"It took everything in Cory's power not to twirl her finger in mock excitement. She was happy for her friends but…she wasn't really in the mood to bask in the glory of their newfound love.

"And we also have something important to say about two people at this table," Randy stood up.

Cory gave him a confused look and he winked at her.

_What the hell?_

"Cory…John," Randy said. "John…when I was dating Cory..all she could think about was you. You make her happy man. I mean, you drive her a little crazy but..it's pretty obvious that you're the man she wants to be with."

Cory's mouth dropped open and she stared daggers at Randy.

"And Cory," Portia said. "John probably thinks I don't know it but…the only reason he dated me this last time was to make you jealous. He tried to make it seem real but…I knew his heart wasn't in it. He's too hung up on you."

Cory looked over at John who was giving Portia the same look she'd just given Randy. Cory turned her attention back to the new couple, "Who the _hell_ told you two to do that?"

They both looked shocked and then Portia pointed at Jessica.

"So this was your idea?" John glared at her. "You really thought this was okay?"

"Don't jump down my throat," Jessica put her hands up. "Hunter gave me the idea."

"I said it would be nice if Portia and Randy would say something," Hunter defended himself. "I didn't tell you to tell them to do it."

"You had something to do with this too?" Cory slapped Hunter hard on the arm.

Hunter rubbed the spot on his arm, "Jessica and I were talking and I just said that now that Portia and Randy are together, it'd be nice if they tried to give you guys a little kick start."

"I'll give you a god damn kick start," Cory glared. "And will you two sit down?"

"Why are you pissed at us?" Randy asked, sitting down.

"Because you two just got up and put our business out there for all of our friends," John suggested.

"You involve us all in your business anyway," Hunter said.

"Oh shut up Hunter, this is your fault," Cory glared.

"My fault?" Hunter asked. "I made an innocent suggestion. Big mouth over here is the one that made it happen."

"Big mouth?" Jessica slapped his other arm. "Did you just call me big mouth?"

"Okay you and your sister need to stop hitting me," Hunter warned.

"Then don't call me big mouth," Jessica said. "And this is not my fault. It's obviously John and Cory's fault."

"What?" Cory exclaimed. "I didn't tell Randy to tell John that I _allegedly_ couldn't stop thinking about him."

"If you two weren't being so damn stubborn about all this, none of us would be in this position," Hunter said.

"Didn't Cory tell you to shut up?" John asked.

"We wouldn't have these so called _feelings_ in the first place if we hadn't _pretended_ to date to get rid of _these two_ and it was _Jessica's_ suggestion so _you three_ are at fault here, not us," Cory pointed.

"Everybody shut up," Portia put her hands up. "How the hell did this turn into the blame game? We're trying to be good friends here."

"Well you're doing a shitty job," Cory rolled her eyes.

"Look, we all know that you don't have the balls to just tell each other what you're feeling so excuse us for trying to help," Randy shrugged.

"You two need to just apologize to each other and start over," Portia said.

"Why should I apologize?" John asked. "I've been doing all the work."

"If he doesn't have to apologize then I'm sure as hell not going to," Cory crossed her arms over her chest. She could feel her cheeks getting hot and she couldn't decide which one of her friends was pissing her off the most at that moment.

"John," Portia gave him a look.

"Fine," John threw his hands up. "I'm sorry you're a stubborn little brat and I had to date somebody else to make you jealous because you couldn't just accept that you liked me. And I'm sorry that I _tried_ to tell you how I felt, and you didn't give a shit."

Cory could feel her blood begin to boil and she stood up, tossing her napkin over her food, "And I'm sorry too John…I'm sorry that you're such a _fucking asshole_ that _that_ was the best apology you could muster."

With that, Cory grabbed her phone from the table and stormed out of the restaurant. She wasn't going to leave, she hadn't picked up her keys. She just needed some fresh air and a few minutes away from everyone. She couldn't believe John was acting like she was such a horrible person. What the hell had she done wrong?

-----------------------------------

John tuned out the voices at the table as he watched Cory leave. He was wrong for his 'apology'. He shouldn't have said what he did. He had a bad habit of saying and doing things to her that he knew he shouldn't. He couldn't help it though, no one could get him riled up the way she could sometimes. It seemed to happen so fast, he didn't know what was going on until he'd already said or done something stupid.

He couldn't keep doing this though. They couldn't keep going around in circles like this. Like it or not, he cared a lot for her and it was time to tell her to her face.

-----------------------------------

Paula dropped off a check at her last table and then stopped when she saw the pretty blonde sitting in the corner booth. She hadn't been sitting there before Paula went into the kitchen a few minutes earlier, she must have just arrived. Paula picked up a menu and walked over, putting on a big smile, "Welcome to-"

Paula stopped talking when the blonde looked up and Paula recognized her.

"Taylor," Paula smiled. "This is a treat. Nobody told me you were here."

Taylor didn't say anything, she simply looked up at Paula.

She looked very different than the last time Paula saw her. She was a lot more casual, in jeans and a t-shirt, a leather jacket on the seat next to her. Her hair looked very messy and Paula couldn't tell if she was wearing dark makeup or if she just hadn't slept in a long time.

"Hi Paula," Taylor said, without any enthusiasm.

"Honey," Paula sat in the booth across from her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just fine Paula," Taylor smiled dryly.

Paula didn't believe that but it was pretty obvious that Taylor wasn't there for a heart to heart.

"It's so nice to see you again," Paula said.

"I know, you already told me, it's a treat," Taylor said.

Paula wasn't sure how to act or what to say. She took a deep breath and tapped her fingers on the table before she thought of something, "You'll never guess whose getting married. Do you remember-"

"Paula, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she nodded. "Anything."

"Do you _ever_ shut up?" Taylor asked.

"Taylor I-"

"Do you have any idea what you did to me?" Taylor asked. "You couldn't keep your big mouth shut with Chris and now here I am…I feel like I'm losing my mind. I cant make things right with him. I cant think."

"I didn't mean for anything bad to happen," Paula insisted. "I just-"

"I know," Taylor got up, picking up her jacket. "I guess you just couldn't help yourself."

-----------------------------------

Cory sat on a bench, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She hadn't thought to grab her coat and it was freezing out but she didn't want to go back inside. She was just so sick of all of this stupid fighting. She was tired and stressed out and she just couldn't deal with it. She stared straight ahead trying to figure out what her friends were thinking. Did they honestly think embarrassing her was the way to get her and John together?

She heard someone clear her throat and she looked to her side, feeling her jaw clench when she saw John. He had her coat in his hand and he walked toward her, holding it up like a white flag, "I thought you might need this."

"I'm good," she looked away.

"You're shaking," he pointed out. "Just put the coat on."

She wanted to argue but he was right. She took the coat, sliding her arms into the sleeves as he took a seat next to her.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, looking off into space. Cory looked over at him, waiting for him to say something. She could tell by the way his jaw kept moving that he was thinking.

"Listen..you and I need to talk," he finally looked over at her. "Actually for right now, as cliché as this sounds, I need to talk and you need to try and listen."

"I'm listening," she sighed, leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I like you Cory," John admitted. "A lot. I care about you. I think about you way more than I want to. You have confused and frustrated me more than any woman I have ever met. But there's just something about you that I..I don't know I just..I wanna be with you. I just don't know why we cant make this work."

Cory wasn't exactly sure what to say. Part of her was touched. She knew it was hard for John to say what he'd just said. She was still angry though. If he cared about her so much then why did he go out of his way to try and upset her? If he liked her so much then why did he tell her to her face that he wanted nothing more than a business relationship with her? If he cared about her then would he pretend to date her friend? That just didn't add up.

"Was Portia right?" she asked quietly, arms still crossed. "Did you just date her to make me jealous?"

She knew the answer but she almost hoped that he would have some excuse, some great explanation that would sweep her off her feet and make her forget about how angry he made her.

"It's not that easy to explain," John guiltily rubbed his hand on the back of his head.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes it is John, either you did or you didn't."

"Yes, I did," John nodded. "Are you happy now?"

Cory shook her head, looking away.

"Cory don't start acting all high and mighty," John made a face, growing angry. "I didn't say I was proud of it."

"But you did it," she glared.

"Yes, I did it!" he threw his hands up. "There's nothing I can do about it now. I'm a fuck up with you, we've established that."

Cory felt her muscles starting to tense, "What the hell are you getting all pissy with me for? You're the one who went out with Portia just-"

"Because _you_ started hookin up with Randy," John pointed.

"_I_ was being honest…_I_ was upset because I couldn't get things to work with you and I thought I would try things with Randy. I was being genuine. _You_ were being a spiteful dick," she accused. "And you hurt _me_ _and_ Portia."

"Portia wasn't hurt," John argued. "She wanted Randy."

"What about me John?" she asked, her voice getting louder. "I was hurt. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Excuse me Princess but whether you know it or not, you were using Randy," he said. "You did the same thing I did."

"Oh go to hell," she rolled her eyes, turning away.

"You know I'm right," he turned her back around.

"No..you're not," she glared. "How was I using him?"

"You knew damn well you didn't want him the way you want me," John accused. "You used him to try and distract yourself."

"I did not use Randy," she glared. "You just wanna make me sound bad so you seem like less of an asshole."

"Why cant you just own up to your shit?" John asked. "I admit I was wrong. Yes, I was trying to make you jealous. Yes, a lot of our problems are my fault, but some of them are yours too."

"Why?" she asked. "Because I cant put up with your bullshit?"

John made a frustrated noise and looked away from her while she glared at him defiantly, waiting for him to yell or storm off or do something.

After a few seconds, Cory shook her head looking away. This was ridiculous. They were at a stalemate. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry or yell some more. They always seemed to end up this way.

"You see what I mean?" Cory broke the silence, her voice quieter this time. She didn't have the energy to yell. "Everything is a fight. We act like 5 year olds that have to get the last word."

He nodded, still not looking at her.

"John I feel like I'm constantly going back and forth with you. One second I want you, the next second I _cant stand_ you. One second I feel like you care about me and the next it seems like you don't. I cant keep doing this, it's making me dizzy."

He looked into her eyes and she felt her breath catch in her chest. She wished like hell that he didn't have any effect on her.

"So you don't even think this is worth a shot?" he asked. "We're being honest with each other now? doesn't that mean something?"

He was right. They were being honest with each other. But they still couldn't do it without fighting. They couldn't do it without pointing the finger, provoking each other. Sometimes honesty just wasn't enough.

"John…this isn't healthy for either one of us," she ran a hand through her hair. "I mean, think about it, it took us this long to be honest with each other and we _still_ cant stop fighting. We started to like each other and what did we do? We started seeing other people. When do the games stop? When do we grow up and stop acting like this?"

John sighed, looking defeated. He shrugged, "I don't know."

"Neither do I," she said. For some reason she felt like she was going through a breakup. She had this nagging, tugging feeling in her stomach and her eyes stung like she wanted to cry. "I don't think I can just wait and see."

"Then I guess there's nothin' else to say," John looked away again. He turned around, walking away slowly, his hands in his pockets.

Cory felt guilty as she watched him walk back toward the restaurant door. He was angry, she could see that. His anger she could deal with though, it was the emotion she saw behind it that bothered her. He looked hurt. She hadn't really thought he would be upset.

"John!" she called after him, walking quickly to catch up with him.

"What?" he turned, looking impatient.

"I just…I don't know how to handle this," she gestured between the two of them. "I'm not ready to deal with all this and I don't think you are either. I'm not trying to hurt you I just-"

"Cory," he put his hand up. "If you don't think this is worth a try…then it must not be. I cant force you to do something you don't want to."

He shrugged and walked away from her again. Cory just stood there, staring. Half of her brain felt like she'd done something she needed to do, and the other half was certain she'd just made the biggest mistake of her life.

-----------------------------------

Viveca walked into the waiting room with Adam in tow. She was really glad her friend had come with her. Obviously, she had her family to lean on for support but it was nice to have an extra shoulder to lean on. She and Adam had gone to pick up food for everyone while the doctors were still waiting for test results. Viveca smiled when she saw that Lianna had her back to the elevators. She crept up quietly, intending to poke her sister in the sides and scare her but when she saw Liam's face, she stopped. His eyes were filling with tears. He looked up when he saw her and Lianna turned around. She'd been crying too.

"What's going on?" Viveca asked, nerves gripping her stomach. "What happened?"

"She's in a coma," Lianna sniffed, wiping her eyes. "The doctor's..they don't know what happened."

"What?" Viveca stared, dropping the bag of food she had in her hand.

"We tried to call, your phone was off," Liam explained. "V..she's gonna be okay, right?"

"Of course she is," Viveca sat beside her brother, wrapping her arms around him. "She's gonna be okay Liam. She has to."

-----------------------------------

_Shit_

Adam mentally kicked himself for turning off Viveca's cell phone. Something told him it was a bad idea but as usual, he couldn't even listen to his own instincts. He was just full of dumb ideas. He hoped her mother would wake up soon. If something bad happened and she wasn't there because of him, he would never forgive himself

"I uh..I'm gonna go get you guys some water," he said.

Viveca looked up, giving him a grateful smile, "Thanks Adam."

-----------------------------------

"Hey Carmen," Officer Rhona Jenks walked over to the inmate as she sat in the recreational area, sketching. That was all Carmen seemed to do.

Carmen didn't answer so the officer knocked her sketchpad out of her lap, "You heard me."

"What?" Carmen looked up, obviously frustrated.

"Tell Vogle we turned away one of her visitors today," Jenks smiled.

"What?" Carmen frowned. "Who? Was it Chris?"

"No," Rhona shook her head. "It's the one she always told us never to let in..Her daughter."

-----------------------------------

"Of course Joanne," Cory nodded. "No, no I'm sure she's fine…Yeah, I will…I will…okay…I'll call you soon."

"What was that about?" Jessica asked as Cory hung up her phone.

"That was Dawn's mom," Cory explained, frowning. "She said she went to D's house and she wasn't there."

"I thought you said she was going on vacation," Jessica reminded her sister, confused.

"I thought she was too but..she didn't tell her mom about it," Cory shook her head.

"I don't tell my mom when I'm on vacation," Jessica laughed. "I prefer that she doesn't know."

"Same here," Cory laughed. "But Dawn and her mom are different. They talk about everything."

"Don't worry yourself over nothing Cory," Jessica advised.

"I'm not I just…something's been bothering me for a while now," Cory said.

"What?"

Cory picked up her phone, dialing her voicemail and skipping through the messages until she got to the one Dawn left. She put it on speakerphone so Jessica could hear it.

"Hey Cory..it's Dawnie..I uh..I'm just calling because..because I'm gonna be going away for a while. I think a vacation could do me some good, you know? I just..I don't want you to worry about where I am. I'll call you as soon as I can. Love you…Bye."

Then it clicked in Cory's head. She figured it out.

"Sounds normal to me," Jessica shrugged.

"She called herself Dawnie," Cory said, feeling a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. "She _hates_ when I call her that."

"So?"

"So something is wrong," Cory insisted, standing up. "Come on, we need to talk to Mark."

-----------------------------------

Taylor walked up the stairs to the old house slowly, looking up at the building. She wasn't surprised that no one had lived in it since her family. Not many people wanted to live in a house where a man was murdered. Most of the houses on the block were empty now but this one was definitely in the worst shape. She tried the doorknob but, to her surprise, it was locked. She looked around for a way to get in, stopping when she remembered a way.

"You always said I'd end up like you," she walked over to the edge of the porch and lifting one of the floorboards. "I guess that means I should be good at breaking and entering. Crime seemed pretty natural for Frank Everett."

She reached under the wood and after a few seconds, her fingers touched the crowbar her father had always kept there. She pulled it out and dropped the board, walking back to the door. She briefly considered just trying to break the doorknob but decided against it, instead opting to knock out the bottom boards of the door and ducking through the hole, into the house.

"Ah," she dropped the crowbar on the floor as she found herself in her old living room. "Home sweet home."

-----------------------------------

John sat on the couch in Mark's room watching the end of the Celtics game.

"So you just walked back into the restaurant?" Mark asked.

"Yup," John nodded. He'd explained his earlier conversation with Cory to the one person he knew would understand. "I cant change her mind, there wasn't any point in talking about it anymore."

Mark shrugged, sitting down beside him, "Cant say I blame ya."

Their conversation was interrupted by insistent knocking on the door and Mark rolled his eyes, getting up. He walked over, opening the door, "Hey Kid..I don't know if this is a good time."

John looked over his shoulder to see Cory standing at the door with Jessica. She disregarded Mark's warning.

"Mark, I need to talk to you," she blurted. "It's.."

She trailed off when she saw John. Their eyes met and they sat in awkward silence for a few seconds before she shook her head, looking up at Mark, "It's about Dawn."

-----------------------------------

"Cory, I'm really not in the mood to talk about her right now," Mark shook his head. "He appreciated how important it was to Cory that he was upset but she was never going to give up on the idea of him and Dawn being together and he didn't want to hear about how it would all work itself out.

"Mark," she followed him into the room.

Mark hadn't really been looking at his best friend but something about the tone of her voice made him turn around. What he saw made his hairs stand on end. She looked scared.

"I think she might be missing," Cory said. "I think we should drive to her house and check on her."

Mark shook his head, "Cory if you're trying to get me to-"

"This isn't a matchmaking scheme Mark," she insisted. "There's something _wrong_."

"What makes you so sure?" he asked.

"She hasn't called me. She hasn't talked to her mother in two weeks," Cory said.

"That doesn't mean there's something wrong Cory," Mark said. "She's a grown woman. She walked out of her on her own and she's made it pretty obvious she wants nothin' to do with me. I'm not gonna drop everything and run just because she's not playing phone tag with you and her mom."

Cory bit her bottom lip and her eyes were beginning to water. She was started to wring her hands and she looked away.

"What?" he asked. "There's something you're not saying."

"Can we just _please_ go check on her?" she sniffed.

"Cory I said no," he shook his head. "She-"

"Mark, she didn't just leave because she felt like it," Cory said emphatically.

"Right, she left because she needed to be away from me," Mark put his hands up. "That really makes me want to jump in the car and drive to Jersey."

"Mark," Cory's voice caught in her throat and he could see that her eyes were now full of tears. She opened her mouth to speak but she shut it quickly.

"What Cory?" he asked, growing concerned. He was frustrated with her at first but he couldn't be mean now. He couldn't stand to see her upset.

She ran a hand through her hair then put her hand over her mouth, holding back a sob.

"Cory, what's going on?" Jessica asked.

"Kid, what are you not telling me?" Mark asked.

"Dawn.." her lips trembled and she was still wringing her hands. "Dawn left because…she's pregnant."

Mark felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He stared at her for a second, certain he hadn't heard her correctly, "What?"

"She made me promise not to tell you," Cory cried. "I wanted to Mark but-"

"You promised her?" Mark lost it. "She's pregnant with my baby and you _promised_ you wouldn't tell her?"

"She said she would tell you," Cory cried.

"When, Cory?" Mark yelled. "Once the baby was born, when they were 5 years old? When?"

"She said she needed to sort things out and-"

"And you lied to me," Mark pointed. "You've lied to me every day since she left. _How_ could you not tell me this Cory?"

Mark had never been mad at Cory a day since he'd known her. But right now he could barely stand to look at her. Dawn was pregnant with his child and she kept that from him.

Cory was quietly sobbing, looking down at the floor, and for once, Mark didn't care.

"I cant believe you!" Mark yelled.

"I'm sorry!" she cried.

"That's not good enough," Mark shook his head.

"Mark, that's enough," Jessica put her arms around her sister.

"You think she was right Jessie?" Mark asked. "You think this is okay?"

"She was trying to keep a promise to her best friend," Jessica defended her.

"And what am I?" Mark asked. "I have always been there for you Cory. You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. And you kept this from me."

"Why don't we focus on the fact that Dawn might be missing right now?" Jessica asked. "Cory got a strange message from her. She hasn't been in her house and she's not calling her family. We need to drive to Jersey."

"Cena, get your coat," Mark ordered. "You're riding with me."

Mark grabbed his keys and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He didn't know if he could ever forgive Cory for this.

-----------------------------------

"You okay?" Adam asked, sitting on the bench next to Viveca. He tried to control himself but couldn't resist pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Don't worry Viveca," he said softly. "Lorraine is gonna be fine."

She looked up at him, her eyes overflowing with tears, "This is just so cruel. I finally get my mom back in my life and now this."

"I know," he said, wiping the tears from her face. "But you just have to stay positive. Everything will be okay."

She was quiet and without thinking Adam lowered his face to hers, kissing her softly. At first she resisted the kiss but after a few seconds Adam felt her hands rest against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair, deepening the kiss. Viveca moaned as Adam rubbed her back.

"Wait," she pulled away. "Adam..what are we doing?"

"I'd like to know the same thing."

-----------------------------------

Viveca turned, her heart stopping when she saw Jeff.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

Jeff turned, walking out of the room.

"Jeff wait," Viveca went to run after her fiancé.

"Just let him go," Adam said.

She turned back to him, not believing how Adam was acting. That kiss was a mistake, how could he expect her to just let Jeff leave.

"No," she shook her head, turning and running after Jeff.

-----------------------------------


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58...**

"You are receiving a call from the Western Wayne Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan. Will you accept the charges?"

"Yes," Chris said quickly, sitting down. What would Nancy be calling him for? He'd just gotten to Detroit and he hadn't told her he was coming. He was planning on trying to talk to her again about Frank's murder. He still thought that if he got the whole truth, he could help Taylor. There was a soft clicking and then he heard Nancy's voice, "Chris, is that you?"

"Nancy, is everything okay?" he asked, worried.

"Chris, it's Taylor," Nancy sounded panicked. "You have to find her. She came here. They wouldn't let her see me. She hasn't tried to come here in _years_. Something must be wrong. You have to find her, I'm afraid she's going to do something stupid."

"Calm down," Chris said, though he wasn't sure he could take his own advice. "It's gonna be okay. I'll find her."

-----------------------------------

Jeff had made it to his car when he heard Viveca's heels clicking behind him.

"Jeff I'm sorry," she said, her voice full of emotion.

He stopped moving but couldn't bring himself to turn and face her.

How could she do this? How long had this been going on?

"I gotta go," he said, not wanting to talk to her. He felt like an idiot. Days earlier he'd been stressing himself out so much he felt sick trying to create the perfect proposal for her and now she was kissing Adam.

"Jeff please don't be mad," Viveca held his arm.

"Don't be mad?" Jeff laughed. "I catch you kissing my fucking friend and you tell me not to be mad?"

"It wasn't my fault. We were talking and he kissed me and-"

"I don't wanna hear the details Viveca," Jeff said, opening the car door.

"Jeff please listen to me," she grabbed his arm. He turned, looking into her pale green eyes. "Honey I promise you…this happened _one_ time. I didn't mean for it to happen. I was just so upset and Adam he…It wont happen again I swear to you…Please just forgive me."

Jeff shook his head, "Why should I?"

"Because I love you," Viveca cried.

Jeff got into the car, "Yeah I thought you did."

-----------------------------------

Mark fumed as they parked in front of Dawn's house. He still couldn't believe what Cory did. He couldn't believe she lied to him. Cory and Jessica followed them in Cory's rental car to the house. After a few minutes, they pulled into the driveway. Cory got out of the car sniffing and puffy eyed. He shook his head, looking away.

"She hasn't gotten her mail," John pointed out. Dawn's mailbox was stuffed beyond it's limit.

Mark retrieved the key he knew she kept under a potted plant and opened the door slowly.

-----------------------------------

"Oh my God," Cory gasped, her hand covering her mouth when they walked into Dawn's house.

All the furniture was overturned, books, magazines, everything was strewn everywhere. The TV was on and it was turned up very loud. John walked over and turned it off.

"Dawn!" Mark yelled, walking quickly through the first floor. They all joined in, calling Dawn's name, Cory walked upstairs with John in tow.

"D!" Cory yelled. "Dawn, are you here?"

-----------------------------------

Mark tried to keep himself calm but it was hard. The house had obviously been ransacked.

"Dawn!" he yelled, swinging open every door. He left no stone unturned. Closets, bathrooms, he had to find her.

He opened the door to her home office and his heart stopped. The room had been completely redecorated. The walls were pink and pale green. There was one of those fancy round cribs in the center of the room. There were two large, very comfortable looking chairs and stuffed animals on the floor.

"Where the hell are you?" he asked, looking around the room. He stopped when he saw something on the dresser. It was a small picture in a silver frame. He remembered when the picture was taken. It was on Dawn's birthday. Cory took it. They were all eating dinner and Cory was taking 1,001 pictures. Dawn still had food in her mouth when Cory took this particular one. Mark's heart sank when he realized what was wrong with the picture. Dawn's eyes were scratched out.

-----------------------------------

"Hey Vogle," Officer Jenks yanked open the door to Carmen and Nancy's cell. "Doctor wants to see ya."

"The doctor?" Nancy's delicate features frowned. "What for?"

"Don't know what for Nancy, I didn't ask," the officer rolled her eyes. "Get off your ass."

"I'm coming," Nancy got up, wiping her eyes. Carmen, who was sitting on the bed with her looked worried.

"I'll go but if Chris comes back-"

"I know, I know, your daughter," Jenks rolled her eyes again. "We get any news I'll let ya know now come on..You don't wanna keep the doc waiting."

-----------------------------------

John watched as Cory paced back and forth in front of the vending machines in the police station. Mark was talking to some of the detectives. Cory had already talked to them for an hour. He'd never seen her look as upset as she did when Mark berated her for lying. Angry as he'd been, he just wanted to reach out and hold her. Mark was right to be angry with her but…he could understand why she did what she did. She got a Diet Coke out of the vending machine and John could see that her hands were violently shaking. Her eyes and nose were bright red and her tan skin looked pale.

It didn't matter that they'd had it out earlier that day. He couldn't just stand by and watch her like that.

"Anything I can do?" he walked over, sitting on one of the benches. She sat next to him, looking up at him with the saddest blue eyes he'd ever seen.

"Can we forget about what happened between us earlier for a little while?" she asked. "I just…I need someone to talk to and Jessie's talking to the police."

"It's forgotten," he assured her.

"Thanks," she tried for a smile but her lips started to tremble and tears filled her eyes again. She shook her head, "Where could she be John?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could without hurting her. She leaned against him, her tears quickly soaking through his shirt.

"I should've told Mark earlier," Cory sniffed. "I shouldn't have let him go on thinking that Dawn left just because. If he had known she wouldn't have left. He wouldn't have let her. And then..I just…I'm so scared John. This is all my fault."

"No it's not," he insisted. "I know you're scared but this is not your fault. "We're gonna find her…I promise."

-----------------------------------

Taylor walked around the house, looking around. She'd just walked through her parents old bedroom and now she was walking through hers. She just needed a trigger. She needed to see something, hear something. Anything that could help her remember. She opened up the closet door and something on the top shelf caught her eye. It was a red piece of cloth. She reached up, pulling it down, frowning when she saw it. It wasn't red. Originally it had been blue. She remembered that shirt clearly, it was one of her favorites. And it was covered in blood stains.

She closed her eyes, trying to remember what happened the last time she wore the shirt. She sat down in the corner and opened her eyes. She wasn't in a dingy, abandoned old room anymore. Now she was in her bedroom, staring at herself and her mother…

"_Pack your bags sweetheart, hurry," Nancy rushed her daughter, clearing her clothes out of the closet and tossing them into ratty old suitcases. They were falling apart but they were all she had._

_"Mom, what if he comes home early?" Taylor asked._

_"He wont," Nancy said, though her voice waivered with uncertainty. "He usually comes home late, not early. Now hurry up baby, we have to get out of here."_

_"But last time-"_

_"Taylor forget about last time," Nancy said in a stern tone. She put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "We have to try again."_

_"But mom..." Taylor's bottom lip quivered and those eyes, her father's eyes, filled with tears. "He said..he said he would kill us if we tried to leave. Even if we did, he'd kill us when he finds us.."_

_"Then we'll go where he cant find us," Nancy said, her heart breaking. She knew her daughter wanted to leave just as badly as she did but she was terrified. Nancy was too but she couldn't let that stop her. He threatened to kill them if they left but he would surely kill them if they stayed. "We have to try."_

_Taylor looked up at her mother, her heart beating through her chest. Nancy's hair was wet from going outside and loading things into the car. She had a dark bruise surrounding her right eye and her neck was bruised too. Two nights earlier, Frank had choked her up against the wall until she passed out. She knew her mother was right. They had to go._

_"Do you really think we can find someplace where he wont find us?" Taylor asked._

_"Taylor..I will not let him hurt you anymore," Nancy pulled her into a hug. "I promise. This has to stop."_

_Taylor rested her head against her mother's chest, shutting her eyes tightly and praying. She never prayed anymore because she figured if there was a God, he obviously didn't feel the need to look out for her. But this time seemed like as good a time as any to beg someone, anyone, to help them find a way out._

_They were startled out of their silence when a loud noise sounded throughout the house. It was distinctly different than the claps of thunder they'd been hearing all day. This was the sound of a door slamming._

_"Nancy!" Frank's voice boomed, ten times more frightening than the storm raging outside. Taylor could feel her mother shaking. Or maybe it was her. Or both of them. "Taylor!"_

_"What are we gonna do?" Taylor whispered, tightly gripping her mother's sleeves. "He had to see the car. What are we gonna do?"_

_They heard his loud footsteps bounding up the stairs and Nancy took a deep breath, gripping Taylor's shoulders again, "Get in the bathroom."_

_"What?"_

_"Taylor, just do as I say," Nancy insisted. "Get in the bathroom. Lock the door. Do _not_ come out until _I_ come to get you. Understand?"_

_"But-"_

_"Don't come out until I come get you."_

_Nancy watched as her daughter darted into the bathroom and she heard the door lock. She counted to 3, taking a deep breath as she heard his footsteps. She turned around and found herself only a few feet away from him, his eyes boring into hers. Her eyes darted down to his hand which had a white knuckled grip on the handle of one of the suitcases she'd packed into the car. He dropped it hard onto the floor, still glaring a hole right through Nancy._

"_What the hell is this?" he pointed down at it._

_Nancy opened her mouth but no words came. She willed herself to speak but her brain didn't send any words to her mouth._

"What is it_?" Frank yelled and she could swear she felt his booming voice vibrating through her._

_He kicked the bag toward her and she quickly jumped out of the way before it hit her leg._

_Nancy inched toward the stairs and he didn't tear his gaze away from her for a second. She felt her feet touch the first step and that was all she needed. She turned, racing down the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her. She prayed Taylor heeded her warning and stayed put until she came to get her._

"_Where the fuck are you going?" Frank followed her, taking two steps at a time. She ran towards the kitchen and he caught up to her. She ran into the closest room, the kitchen, with him on her heels. The back door was only a few feet away but she wasn't going to set foot outside the house. Not without her little girl. She turned and he stepped front of her and blocking the doorway._

"_Have you lost your mind?" he asked. "_Huh_? HAVE YOU?"_

"_I'm leaving," Nancy said, her voice trembling, her whole body shaking. "I'm taking my baby and we're getting out of here."_

_Frank shook his head, the corner of his mouth tilting up into that smile. That smile that had drawn her in when she first met him. The same smile that could scare the living daylights out of her now._

"_No you're not," Frank shook his head. "You're not going anywhere."_

"_Yes I am!" Nancy yelled, hoping that by yelling, screaming rather, she could convince him. And herself._

""_No you're not!" He yelled back, taking a few steps and closing the gap between them. "You aren't going anywhere and neither is Taylor."_

_Nancy tried to speak but he cut her off._

"_You don't seem to understand," Frank smiled that terrifying smile. "I will kill you before I let you walk out of this house."_

_Nancy trembled, knowing that he meant every word he said. She could see it in his eyes. _

_He walked toward her and she backed up, wishing that her nerves weren't so shot. She couldn't stop shaking._

"_Haven't we gone over this before?" he asked. "I _own_ you. You and that kid."_

_His eyes were trained on hers and she reached behind her, fumbling with a drawer handle. He was saying something but she couldn't hear him over the sound of her heart beating. _

_She pulled the drawer open just a few inches as he spoke, sliding her slim hand inside. The second she felt something cold against her skin, she gripped it, wincing when she felt a knife blade cut into her hand. They were usually turned the other way._

"_What are you doing?" he asked, noticing the twitch._

_Nancy found the handle of the knife and pulled it out of the drawer. Her hands shook violently as she held it up, "Get away from me."_

_His smile appeared again and there was practically a twinkle in his eye as he shook his head, "What are you gonna do with that?"_

"_Get away from me Frank," she tried to sound more stern but her voice cracked. She gripped the knife tightly in both hands trying to look into his eyes._

_He rubbed his hand over his chin, smile still in place then, before she knew it, the back of his hand was flying at her face. She fell to the ground and he kicked her. She clutched her stomach with her bloody hand, trying to stand back up, his laughter causing a rage to boil inside her. _

_He truly was the sickest person she'd ever met._

_The pain in her stomach showed no signs of going away and she couldn't make it to her feet. She tried to crawl away and he simply watched her, still laughing. He let her get near the doorway before he caught up to her, his foot dropping onto the hand that held the knife. She screamed, letting it go as he pressed his weight onto her hand. He bent down, snatching it up, "What were you gonna do with this, huh?"_

_She looked up at him, pain shooting through her hand and her stomach. She could feel her cheek starting to swell. The menacing glint in his blue eyes told her that she wasn't anywhere near the end of the pain she would feel. He wasn't smiling anymore._

"_Were you gonna kill me Nancy?" he asked, leaning down, his face close to hers._

_He stood up abruptly, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her up with him, "Do it Nancy."_

_She stared at him, sure she hadn't heard him right._

_He forced the knife into her hands, his eyes wild, "Why don't you just fuckin' do it?"_

_She cried, trying to let go of the knife. She was positive some of the bones in her hand were broken. She'd felt them crack. He pressed her fingers around it and she could feel tears streaming down her face._

"_Hold it!" he yelled._

"_No!" she cried._

"_Hold it!" he squeezed his hand around hers. He backed up a few steps and Nancy tried to hold back her sobs. She was shaking so badly she was sure she'd drop the knife but she held on for fear that he would kill her if she did._

"_Come on you pathetic bitch," he sneered. "You took the knife out..Do something with it."_

"_Frank…" she pleaded._

"_Mom!"_

_Nancy turned her head in the direction of doorway and so did Frank. There stood their daughter, eyes wide and filled with tears._

"_Mom you're bleeding," Taylor cried._

"_Taylor I told you to stay upstairs," Nancy said through clenched teeth._

_Nancy slowly turned toward Frank again. She could see the gears grinding in his mind. The corner of his mouth lifted and Nancy's heart beat faster._

"_Taylor go back upstairs," she said quickly._

"_But Mom-"_

"_Taylor!" Nancy yelled. "Go Back Upstairs!"_

"_Taylor you stay right where you are," Frank smiled._

"_Go!" Nancy ordered._

"_Taylor, you know damn well which one of us to listen to," Frank said. "You stay right where you are."_

_Frank walked slowly toward Nancy and then his arm shot out. He grabbed her hair so hard she let go of the knife again and it clanked loudly on the floor. He kicked it away so hard it stuck into the bottom of the back door._

"_I told you what I'd do if you tried to leave Nancy," Frank whispered, his lips touching her ear. "I wasn't expecting an audience but..maybe it's best that you go first. That way our daughter can see what she's in for."_

"_Frank.." Nancy cried. "Please."_

"_Taylor," Frank said calmly. "I hope you said a nice goodbye to your friends at school today."_

_Taylor felt her heart beating out of her chest as her father walked toward her. _

"_Don't you touch her!" Nancy yelled._

_Frank stopped walking, turning toward her mother again._

"_I am so sick of the sound of your voice," Frank shook his head, walking toward her. _

_Taylor couldn't take it anymore. When she saw him raise his hand to her mother again, before she knew what she was doing, she ran at him, both arms straight out, pushing him roughly. He stumbled back, almost falling. When he regained his footing, he turned to her looking shocked and most importantly, infuriated. He grabbed the sleeve of her shirt, practically throwing her into the back door. She felt something crack when her back hit the wall and her eyes filled so quickly with tears that she couldn't see. She briefly wondered if this was going the be the day that he finally made good on his promises. Was he going to kill them?_

_She tried to get up but her back hurt so badly she could barely move. Her vision was still blurred with tears but she could hear the distinct sound of her father's fist meeting with her mother. Nancy cried out loudly and Frank ordered her to shut up. After a few seconds, the only sounds Taylor could hear were her father's blows and her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She had to do something. She had to stop him before he killed her._

"_Stop it!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "Leave her alone!!"_

_He ignored her and Taylor tried to pull herself up, using a drawer that was slightly open. Before she could make it to her feet, the drawer slipped out of the frame and it's contents clanked loudly on the floor. She jumped back as the silverware scattered around her. She still couldn't see clearly but she started feeling around on the floor for something, anything. _

_Then, she suddenly felt like her hair was being yanked out of her head. _

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?" Frank yelled._

_She was standing, though just barely, and he reared back, slapping her hard across the face. Taylor felt blood on the back of her mouth and she heard the sounds of her mother whimpering in the corner of the room. Her heart beat grew louder and louder and as his fist came near her again, her arm shot toward him as if it had a mind of it's own._

"_Leave me alone!" she screamed, swinging at him again and again. "Leave me alone! I hate you!"_

"_Taylor stop!" Nancy yelled. "Stop!"_

_She gasped when she felt her father slump against her. He knocked her onto the floor and she screamed, crawling out from under him, kicking at him with her legs. She heard a noise on the floor as she crawled away and she looked down at her hand, gasping again when she saw the knife in her hand. It was covered in blood. _She_ was covered in blood. His blood. She dropped it, looking across the floor, screaming when she saw his blank eyes staring back at her._

_Her mother rushed over to her, though she seemed to be in an immense amount of pain._

"_Oh my God, oh my God, mommy, what happened?" Taylor could hear herself asking._

"_It's okay sweetheart," Nancy consoled._

"_He wouldn't stop," Taylor cried, shaking her head. "He was never gonna stop."_

"_I know," Nancy nodded. "Taylor…I want you to give me the knife."_

"_But-"_

"_Give me the knife," Nancy said, her shaky voice a little louder as she grabbed a dish towel off of the counter. Taylor handed her the knife and Nancy used the towel to wipe off the knife handle. Then she clenched her own hand around it, pressing tightly._

"_Mom, what are you doing?" Taylor asked._

"_It's gonna be okay," Nancy assured her. She repeated that over and over as she took Taylor upstairs and got her a change of clothes. Then, she brought her daughter back to the closet, opening the door, "I want you to sit in here…and don't come out until someone comes to get you…okay? Promise me."_

"_But mom-"_

"_Taylor…do not come out until someone comes to get you."_

_Taylor nodded softly, sitting on the floor of the dark closet, trembling from head to toe._

_Nancy knelt in front of her, pressing her forehead against her daughters, "I love you."_

"_I love you too Mom," Taylor sniffed._

_Without saying anything else, Nancy stood up and closed the door._

_Taylor laid down on the floor of the closet, the pain in her back making her dizzy. What had she done? What was going to happen now?_

-----------------------------------

_1 Hour Later..._

Chris ducked under the top half of the broken door, a shiver going up his spine when he found himself inside the home he knew so many horrible things had happened in. He couldn't focus on that though. He couldn't think about the past. He needed to find Taylor and he needed to find her fast.

"Taylor!" he yelled, walking into a room that he assumed used to be a living room. There were a few furniture pieces strewn about but the place was pretty much abandoned and covered in dust and dirt. "Taylor!"

He didn't get a response but he knew she was there. He saw a rental car down the street. He kept walking, looking around. Then he tripped over something. He knelt down to pick it up, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the car keys.

"Taylor!" he yelled, running toward the kitchen. The dust was picking up and stinging his eyes but he didn't care. He needed to find her. When he reached the kitchen, he saw that there was a drawer open. He felt bile rise in his throat when he looked inside and saw that it was a silverware drawer.

"Taylor, where are you?" Chris yelled, running out of the kitchen. He ran up the stairs but stopped midway when he saw tiny red drops on the floor. He went up a few stairs and saw that the drops were getting bigger.

"Shit," he spat, taking the rest of the stairs two at a time. At the top of the staircase he saw a bloody handprint on the wall.

He heard a noise to his left and he turned, his worst fear realized when he saw Taylor. She was slumped over on the floor of a closet, blood covering her wrists and hands. Her skin was pale and she was shaking.

"Oh my God," he rushed to her, pulling her up to a sitting position. "Taylor, what did you do?"

He felt sick to his stomach when he looked down and saw the knife on the floor.

"Shit," he looked around, fumbling for something to try and stop the bleeding.

She mumbled something in his ear but he couldn't understand her.

"What?" he gripped her shoulders, looking at her. "What did you say?"

"I wasn't supposed to come out," she said, her eyes not focused on anything in particular. "She told me not to come out but I did…I was so scared."

"Taylor," he smoothed her hair away from his face. "That was years ago, it's over now."

She shook her head, tears flowing down her face, "She told me to stay her, she told me not to come out but I did…I didn't mean…I didn't mean for it to happen Chris I swear..I didn't…"

She leaned forward on his shoulder and Chris finally remembered his cell phone. He put one arm around her, holding her close to him and with his other he pulled the phone out of his pocket, dialing 9-1-1.

-----------------------------------

Nancy felt an odd calm come over her body as she lay in the storage closet. She looked down, seeing the wounds he'd inflicted. She couldn't really feel her arm, or any other part of her body for that matter, but she somehow managed to raise it, touching her stomach. She brought her hand up in front of her face, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the blood.

She never imagined she would see him again. Especially not like this.

She could feel her breath getting short and she could barely keep her eyes open. She looked down at her right hand, her vision was blurred but she could see what she was holding. The picture of Taylor that Chris had given her.

"I love you," she whispered, beginning to cough.

With her last breaths it finally hit her…She was in jail for a murder she didn't commit, and now…she had been murdered because of it.

-----------------------------------

"Goodnight Doctor," Officer Jenks smiled as the correctional facility's new doctor left the building for the day.

"Goodnight," he said quickly before leaving.

She waved at him before going about her final rounds for the evening. She had to do one last check before the shift change. She had to check in on all of the inmates and make sure all the closets and staff bathrooms were clear. She finished her rounds and in an hour she was on her way out of the building, waving to the incoming shift.

"Everything look okay Rhona?" one of her fellow officers asked.

"Oh yeah," she smiled, nodding. "Everything looks great."

-----------------------------------

Chris rummaged frantically through the drawers, trying to find something suitable to cover Taylor's wrist. Everything in the house was so old and dusty he couldn't find anything clean enough to put on her cuts. The last drawer he got to was locked. Frustrated and at the end of his rope, he used both hands and practically ripped the front off, tossing it onto the floor. He ignored the pain he felt in some of his fingers, digging the contents out of the drawer. A small metal box with a lock on it tumbled out and he stopped, staring at it for a second. Then, he shook his head, turning his focus back to his search. He still hadn't found anything and it didn't look like he was going to. Out of options, he took off his jacket and pulled his short off over his head as he ran back to her side. He took the razor she'd discarded and cut the shirt enough to make it easy to rip apart. He propped her limp body up, wrapping the pieces of fabric around her wrists.

"Taylor, you gotta stay with me," he pleaded. "I called 9-1-1, they're coming, you just gotta hang on for a few minutes, okay?"

He pressed his hands on the makeshift bandages, knowing that pressure was supposed to help stop the bleeding. The paramedics needed to get there soon. He couldn't lose her. Not like this.

-----------------------------------

Dawn was beginning to have trouble telling when she was asleep and when she was awake. She'd had a blindfold on for somewhere around two weeks now. Her face felt tight from drying tears. Her stomach hurt from a mixture of fear and hunger, and a thousand other emotions. She hadn't heard a sound except for the birds outside in hours.

She tensed, her stomach turning in knots when she heard footsteps in the hall. She clenched her eyes shut tightly, hoping that if she prayed hard enough, the footsteps would go away.

They didn't.

"Well it's about time you got up mommy to be," she heard Savannah's cheerful voice. "Time for your medicine."

Dawn felt like she was going to vomit. She didn't know much about this woman but she'd learned quickly that the person who identified herself as 'Savannah' was unpredictable and psychotic. Dawn's last vivid memory was from the day of Wrestlemania. She'd ordered pizza and when she heard the bell, she naturally assumed the delivery man was at the door. When she opened it, she was met by a person dressed in black wearing a mask. She could barely even see their eyes. Savannah pushed her way into the house and threatened her with a gun. Dawn tried to fight her off but Savannah hit her in the head with something, knocking her out. After that, Dawn remembered waking up in a car with a blindfold tightly covering her eyes. Her hands and feet were tied and she was laying on the floor of the backseat. They drove for a very long time without a single word and then they just..stopped. Dawn was incredibly groggy and she didn't know if it was from being knocked out or if Savannah had drugged her. The other woman took her out of the car and after a long walk, they entered what Dawn could only assume was a house. She'd shackled Dawn to the bed and that's where she'd been ever since.

Savannah had obviously been planning this for a long time. She'd pressed the gun to Dawn's head that night and a phone to her ear, forcing her to call Cory and leave her a message claiming she was going out of town. She'd packed all of Dawn's pre-natal medication and vitamins. Dawn was more and more frightened every time she was in the woman's presence. Savannah seemed to loathe Dawn's very existence but she was completely and totally enamored with her pregnancy. She would have just thought she was some infertile psychopath kidnapping a pregnant woman but..Dawn was barely showing and no one except Cory, her mother, and her doctor even knew about her pregnancy. And she seemed to have such a personal hatred towards Dawn. This wasn't random.

Savannah yanked the cloth gag out of her mouth and Dawn took deep breaths, grateful to be rid of it.

She could hear Savannah sit on the bed beside her and she wished that she could reach out and choke the life out of her but she couldn't. She was shackled so tightly she could barely move.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Dawn asked, her voice raspy.

"I didn't come here to talk, I came to give you your medicine," Savannah said, her tone still chipper.

Part of what was so terrifying about her was her ever changing demeanor. Savannah could go from childlike and jovial to malevolent and violently angry in seconds.

"Savannah-"

"_Shut up_," Savannah said. She sounded like her teeth were clenched. "Swallow the pills."

Dawn obeyed the order, choking when Savannah poured water down her throat.

"Hurry up," Savannah ordered.

Once she got the water down, Dawn took more deep breaths, "W-what..why are you so concerned with my baby?"

She'd been too scared to ask until now. The fear hadn't gone anywhere but..she obviously wasn't letting her go anytime soon. There wasn't any reason to wait to ask. She had to know.

"You mean _my_ baby," she could hear the smile in Savannah's voice. "Dawn, there's really no need to be afraid…I'm going to keep you as healthy as I can throughout your term…Then, after you have the baby…I wont need you anymore. That's that."

Savannah giggled and Dawn's stomach lurched up into her throat. It took everything in her not to throw up.

"Now I have to go," Savannah said. "You keep quiet and don't go running off anywhere."

Savannah left the room laughing, closing the door behind her.

Something about Savannah's word choice was plaguing her. Something she said sounded so familiar.

_I wont need you anymore…that's that_

_That's that._

_I suppose that's that..Have a good day._

_Hello, you've reached the voicemail of Cory Samms. This is her personal assistant and I'll be receiving most of her messages. If this is a business inquiry, press 1 and leave your message, the purpose of your call, and contact information. If this is a personal call press 2 and leave your message. I will get Ms. Samms the message as soon as possible. I suppose that's that, have a good day."_

-----------------------------------

Chris sat in the waiting room, praying for word on Taylor. He'd called Viveca and Jeff and they were both on their way. He'd tried to get a hold of John, Cory, and Mark but none of them answered their phones. He just wanted her to know she had support. He wanted her to know that the people who cared about her would stand by her no matter what. He was so scared that he was going to lose her. The nurses kept telling him to 'sit tight' and that they would 'let him know as soon as they hear something'. He wasn't sure how much longer he could just sit there doing nothing.

He stood up, pacing back and forth. He couldn't stop fiddling around with things. He would run his hands through his hair or pick at something on the shirt he bought from the hospital gift shop. He sighed, shoving his hand in his pockets. He winced when he felt his already sore hand hit something. He'd forgotten that he picked up the metal box he found in the locked drawer at Taylor's house. He didn't know why but something just told him to. Grateful for the momentary distraction, he pulled the small tin out of his pocket and sat back down. The lock on it was old and rusty and it popped open without much force. Three folded up pieces of paper fell out onto his lap. Frowning, he unfolded the papers, confused when he realized that they looked like birth certificates.

"What the hell?" he mumbled out loud, laying them on the table in front of him. They were old and the ink was somewhat smudged but when he focused, he could make out the names. And when he did, he was glad he was sitting down.

_Jessica Whitney Everett born June 27__th_

_Taylor Anne Everett, born November 25__th_

_Corinne Charlotte Everett, born October 31_

"There's no way," Chris shook his head in disbelief. These couldn't be the people he thought they were.

Then, he looked at the mother's names

_Brenda Farrell_

_Nancy Vogle_

_Adelle Samms_

"Jessie Farrell, Taylor Vogle, Cory Samms," Chris said aloud. "Holy Shit."

The certificates were issued from different Michigan hospitals, obviously in different years, but they all had one common thread. The Father's name…

Frank Everett.

-----------------------------------

**So obviously there's a sequel coming. It's going to start a few months after where this one leaves off. I'll start posting when I can, that is if you want to know what happens? mwahaha...love ya peeps!**


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